He really shouldn't have been jerking off where they could see him. But he had to be a show-off. So now they had to punish him. Because that wasn't nice.
"Axel, you've been dirty." The word is drawn out, slow, because she wants him to know why he has to be punished. He doesn't even know what's going on, but Namine's there beside him, and he remembers trusting her, but he doesn't know why he's thinking it's a bad idea to have Kairi sitting on his legs, but he just doesn't have the heart to feel uneasy, not even as she pulls out the knife.
But now she's pissed off because he doesn't understand. He's being punished. That's a thumb.
Oh, now he understands. She giggles. He looks so pretty when he's screaming.
He's struggling now. That's a finger. And another. She has to hold his arm down now, and that's bad. So that's another finger.
She's a bitch.
That's another finger.
She's a fucking whore.
The other thumb.
Now he's just muttering.
Another finger.
He whimpers.
Another.
He jerks, like it's going to make a difference. So that's another.
He gives up, but Kairi doesn't like it. So that's another.
And now Axel looks so damn funny, because he's got no fingers, no fingers, and this terrified, horribly pretty look on his face, and oh, Axel, you can cry all you want. Those scared eyes aren't going to save you.
Namine's rocking on her feet, getting all excited and telling her to do it now, and Kairi loves how Axel's neck looks, all jumpy and vulnerable like that. She can feel him screaming because he's making the knife vibrate.
But it's hard at first, then it gives and it's easy, and Axel's not screaming anymore, and she's almost disappointed with how fast it was and there's blood in her eye. It's on her face and on her hands. And it's warm, like he's got fire even in his veins. And it's on her clothes. She looks up, and just for one second, she sees Namine and thinks how it's such a pretty picture, seeing that pretty little white dress all stained and ruined now.
But Namine's playing with it, spreading it around and tasting it and saying it's salty, and she giggles and Kairi giggles right back.
Now Axel's really pretty. All pale and with a face like that, looking like he's gonna be scared forever, and Kairi has to giggle again. And there's a big red line across his neck, because a blood-red pearl necklace was just what he needed. Kairi puts his fingers in his necklace for him, and it's like a special platter just for them. Namine giggles and calls them ladyfingers.
They both pick the old sheets for him, because they're stained and dirty, just like him. They both kiss him goodnight before tucking him in. They both run out of the house laughing like an oil-spread fire. They both look at each other.
"This could be love."