~*Common Interest*~
People could be united if they had a common interest…
Naminé leaned against the wall and sighed.
Roxas was gone. The glittering chain of his memories—mostly inaccessible to her—had vanished with their owner into Sora's heart. Sora was awake and moving again at least.
And not remembering her at all.
I repaid my debt, the witch thought, fingering the hem of her white dress. She was on Sunset Hill, watching the rays of Twilight Town's eternal dusk streak the tops of the trains gold and scarlet. Everything had a sleepy, peaceful feeling to it. Normally, she'd be comforted by it.
Naminé rolled her shoulders loosely. Nothing could comfort her today. The Nobody was alone again. She wrapped her arms around her. She'd not even get to hang around with Riku, since apparently he wanted to do…whatever he was doing…alone.
The dark russet stone behind her clicked as heels met rock. She froze, turning slowly and almost shrieking as she recognized the dark cloak of the Organization.
She didn't scream, though. Instead she said quietly, "What do you want?"
"Relax," a familiar voice assured her from within the robe. "It's me. Y'know, Axel." The spiky red-haired man flipped his hood back and grinned, emerald eyes flashing.
He let me go before…
"Hello, Axel," Naminé said in her usual calm, slow manner.
"Hello yourself. What're you doing hanging around up here?" He strode towards her, eyebrows raised.
Despite herself, Kairi's Nobody repositioned herself slightly farther away from him. She folded her hands in front of her, tangling her fingers together and picking at a small hole at the bottom of her dress. "Nothing."
"I'm just killing some time," Axel shrugged as if she had asked, lounging against the low wooden wall that fringed the hillside. He grinned down at her. "So, where's Roxas?"
"Back with Sora. You can't touch him," Naminé felt the urge to add.
The Flurry of Dancing Flames snorted. "Well yeah, guess I can't huh? So tell me, princess, what are you going to do now?"
Naminé fussed with the hole once more, eyes downcast. "I'll figure it out. Maybe…I need to go back to Kairi."
"Maybe," Axel's tone said he clearly disagreed. "She's done fine without you so far."
"For how long?" She wondered in response. Naminé crossed her arms and closed her eyes, settling into a thoughtless state on the borderland of sleep. The witch just wanted to escape her predicament for a few heartbeats, was that so wrong?
I go from one bad situation to the other! First Marluxia and the Organization, then Sora, then DiZ. I either cause harm to others or end up being used.
By sheer effort of will, Naminé kept such troublesome notions at bay. She hummed snatches of music, forgetting Axel was there in a futile attempt to convince herself that just for a handful of seconds, she was a normal girl outside Twilight Town.
"Thinking hard?"
Naminé jumped as Axel addressed her with a teasing smirk. He was somehow at her side, almost pressing against her, the heat of his body reminding her of an open blaze.
"H-Huh? I'm sorry, Axel."
He tossed a gloved hand dismissively. "Don't be so submissive, princess! You need to learn to stand up for yourself. I've got a question for you."
"…Okay." The witch resisted the impulse to wring her hands or fiddle with the small tear at the end of her dress. Her pale blue eyes met Axel's then flickered away again, unable to keep her cerulean gaze level with his jade stare.
The Organization's Number Eight surveyed the birds passing by in a tight swarm, tapping his fingers against his chin. "Kairi, as a Princess of Light, has no Darkness?"
"Yes."
"But you're her Nobody."
"Yes." Naminé replied, confused.
"So…As a Nobody, can you open Dark Corridors?" Axel asked abruptly. When she looked up, she saw he was looking at her keenly.
"I haven't tried. I was never taught," Naminé stammered, flummoxed.
"Let me show you!" He dragged her to center of the small stone clearing, grabbing one of her hands in both of his. His fiery touch sent warm shivers bolting down her spine in pleasant waves.
Naminé inquired in a quieter voice than was typical for even her, "Why would you teach me…?"
"Easy. You're not a fighter, princess." Axel gave her a shark-toothed grin. "So this way you can escape from most anywhere. Little places in the universe that a Corridor can't traverse."
"What about a cloak?" She knew that Organization XIII's black robes protected the wearer from the shadows—it was not a stupid fashion accessory.
"Beats me. Your Light might protect you. So long as it's not a long trip, I think you'll be fine." Axel shrugged, as if whether or not she got eaten alive by Darkness wasn't important. "Now, Naminé, I'll help you the first time, but you're doing it after. Got it memorized?"
"Yes," Naminé dipped her head. The word had barely left her lips before something deep inside of her began being constricted and tugged on. She gasped, trying to break from Axel's grip, but the freezing Darkness roared through her body and flared out a foot away as an oval of gaping shadow. The process seemed to last forever, but in reality it had taken a short second and a half.
"And there we have it. Easy, right?" The redhead said as if nothing had happened.
The witch shuddered as the Corridor collapsed the instant Axel let go of her hand, losing its life without her Darkness to hold it there. "That…wasn't so bad," she muttered.
"If it was bad, would we use them?" He blinked, appearing stupefied. "Wait yeah we still would."
Naminé smiled a little as Axel rubbed the back of his head with an almost nervous grin. "Thank you," she informed him.
"No problem! Someone's gotta teach you to look after yourself. Give it a try."
She extended her hand and dragged her meager Darkness out from within her. The shadows rippled throughout her being, and for a second something black sputtered foggily from the burgundy tiles of Sunset Hill. That was all, however. Frowning, Naminé tried harder.
"Oh, focus on where you want to go," Axel advised quickly.
I had guessed that. Regardless, she concentrated on the Old Mansion—Sora had left Twilight Town and it should be empty—concentrating as furiously as she did when forming memories.
With a whoosh of victory, the Dark Corridor sprang into existence, waving purple tendrils invitingly. The icy cold flowing from it in waves almost made her stagger back.
"Well done."
Naminé nodded, closing her fingers and releasing her shaky control over the pathway. "Thank you. You helped me, but I don't know why…you did." She gazed steadily at him. "Is there a reason?"
"Like I said, princess, you're kind of helpless." Axel shrugged nonchalantly, and she shook her head.
"No, there's something else. Not just that."
He snorted, crossing his arms. "Okay, you caught me. I want someone to watch Sora when I can't, and don't you basically know where he is?"
"I have his memories," she explained. "That's all."
"And you have control of his heart. You probably know where he is." Axel waved a finger mockingly. "Can't fool me, Naminé."
Naminé blinked, lifting one shoulder before letting it fall. "You also want me to watch Roxas." Her blunt statements occasionally threw off her companions. The redhead's expression flickered through two emotions—(Aren't we Nobodies? How is that possible?)—before settling into amusement.
"That's about it. But really…" Axel stepped to her side, looking down at her with something like tender concern in his glittering acidic green eyes. "You're so innocent and helpless; I worry what would happen if someone caught you for a second time." His voice was quieter, almost gentle.
"I'm not helpless, and I've learned my lesson. I'd die before hurting anyone against my will." Naminé's reply was smooth and even. The witch clutched her hands in front of her, shaking her head in denial of ever committing such an atrocious act again. Sora had been a casualty of her own selfish loneliness, and yet she had been forgiven.
She'd never hurt him after that.
Axel laughed, kneeling slightly so that he was at her level. She gazed at his catlike face before staring at her feet.
"You know, princess, you really infuriate Xemnas."
"…Why?" Naminé could guess, but it was always better to hear the truth on such things.
"You're probably the most powerful out of all of us. The Keyblade Master could be putty in your hands. You could shape him into a force of merciless killing if you changed his childhood. Could make him horribly afraid of the Darkness. Could change his personality, his interaction with others…Man oh man, you're so strong it's almost scary. You can even make the rest of the universe's opinions on Sora entirely different than they are. But you don't, even to obtain your own heart."
"I'm not like you." Naminé gasped and squeaked swiftly, "I mean, I'm not like the Organization!"
Brushing it off, Axel chuckled, still staring into her pale Arctic-blue eyes. "No, you're not. Try not to be either. Nice to see we couldn't contaminate you. You're good through and through. I don't blame you for altering Sora's memories." He added.
But I do. I blame myself more than you can possibly imagine.
"Don't worry. No one will know where you are. As far as the Organization is concerned, we never met today."
"Yes, thank you." Naminé inclined her head respectfully.
"You're different, y'know? Not quite submissive, but…you're more driven. Kinda determined, know what I mean?"
"I'm going to help Roxas and Sora." This statement was said as if it held the answer to her motives.
"Yeah…watch Roxas for me, and that gullible Keyblade Master too. Kid's too friendly for his own good sometimes." Axel made as if to move away, but instead he just straightened up and stared at her so intently that Naminé fidgeted.
"Is something the matter?"
"I just realized I can sleep better at night. You're nowhere near as helpless as I had thought." Before she could react, Axel swooped down and pressed his mouth to hers, lingering briefly so that their faces were only inches apart, green eyes looking into blue. Then in a flash of Darkness accompanied by a semi-mocking bow, the Flurry of Dancing Flames was gone.
Naminé stood there, dumbfounded, fingertips touching her lips. She wasn't sure if she had kissed him back or not, the action had been so surprising that the girl hadn't been able to even think about it for a moment or two.
The white witch smiled, closing her eyes. It was nice to know that someone could comfort her even when she thought that it was impossible.
Looks like I have another promise to keep.
Ah this was hard to write. This is my first AxelxNamine and I actually don't support it very strongly, it's more of an off-interest pairing to me.
But no matter. This is a belated birthday gift to BlueandRedButterflies! So sorry it's late, and I hope you enjoyed it, for I did indeed try my best.
Those Bad Gift Gods will strike me down this fine evening, so mind dropping a review before I go?