Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy, all is property of Square Enix.
Friday, 9:40pm. Radiant Garden Suburbs, Namine's house.
It was past nine o'clock at night when Namine got home. The lights were on and both cars - that of his father and mother - were parked in front of the garage. The blonde opened the door carefully and poked her head first to make sure that the coast was clear. The TV on the living room was on but no one was watching it.
"Lucky! I think they're in their bedroom." Namine thought gleefully getting inside her home. The girl closed the door softly and tiptoed her way to the stairs until a voice made her halt in midway.
"Namine, sweetheart is that you?" Penelo said from the kitchen.
The little blonde let out the breath she didn't know was holding and headed to the kitchen. Her mother held a steaming cup of fresh coffee and had a book open on the table; stray blonde locks fell over her eyes hiding them.
"I'm home, mom." Namine said, leaning against the door frame with a soft smile on his face.
"Nam, you know I do not mind you're with your friends but I don't like you're out until late." Penelo said without looking up from her book.
"Sorry, I got distracted with a couple of things when I was coming back." the girl told her mother scratching her cheek awkwardly.
"What kind of things happened Namine?" The blonde woman looked at her daughter, a curious gleam dancing in her blue eyes.
"Uhm I was finishing my art project and ahm...a friend accompanied me as I did."
"And who's this friend? Is he a boy?" he mother asked with a sly smile.
Namine looked sideways avoiding her mother's inquisitive eyes. Her pale cheeks becoming red. "We-well, his name is Roxas. Slightly taller than me, blond, blue eyes, you don't know him." Namine said dismissively waving her right hand. That's when to her mom noticed the bandage covering it.
"Namine, what happened to your hand?" Penelo's motherly mode popping in action.
"Oh this, I fell in the school. It's nothing serious; the nurse healed me and doesn't hurt anymore. I go to sleep. I'm tired, good night." Namine said hiding her hand behind her back and rushing to her room without glancing at her mom.
"What's up with that girl?" Penelo mumbled with suspicious look all over her face.
After the blonde came into her room and shut the door behind her, she fell on her bed.
"Ahh I'm tired...!" she mumbled closing her baby blue eyes.
"Namine, take a shower!" the blonde girl heard her mom said from the first floor.
She sighed. "Yeeeeees!"
Namine went to the bathroom connected to her room and closed the door. She took off her clothes carefully but when she was about to take off the bandages of her right hand she couldn't avoid touching it softly, a kind smile graced her features. "Roxas..."
Flashback
Despite the boy's insistence on training today Namine had to cancel since she had to finish a painting in which she had been working the past weeks and desperately needed to complete. For that reason Roxas had been sitting in a chair in the art room for about an hour with his earphones plugged in his ears as the young artist painted and touched up her art piece.
"You don't need to wait for me..." the blonde said without looking away from the canvas while adding touches of blue.
"I'm not waiting you. I'm killing time before going home." Roxas replied nonchalant, scrolling through the songs on his playlist. Namine rolled her eyes and continued with her work.
Actually Roxas was killing time before returning to his apartment. Since Axel left the place he had been feeling there was something strange, different. As if someone besides himself was inside his home and was watching him. For that reason Roxas preferred to be outside as long as possible. Finding any appealing song he sighed taking off the earphones. The boy sighed bored and kept the earphones in his backpack. His gaze fell on the back of the blonde who was focused on her work.
"What has her so engrossed?" he thought quietly, approaching her and taking a look from behind.
The image of a crystal clear lake surrounded by withered, white trees during a night without moon or stars was what the spiky haired boy saw. The colors danced beautifully before his eyes as if the image had a life.
"What you think ...?" Namine asked Roxas, drawing him from his reverie.
"... not bad, for whom are you doing it?" he said indifferent before looking at her baby blue eyes. In truth, her work was amazing but he was not going to admit it.
"For anyone in particular...is a project that the teacher asked me to do." Namine sighed tiredly, left her paintbrush on a glass with water and rubbed her eyes. "It's enough. I'll finish it tomorrow on class."
"Isn't it finished yet?" Roxas asked her examining the picture. To him it looked finished.
"In some way it is but it still lack off something...I don't know, it's not perfect, not unique." Namine said. She tilted her head scrutinizing her work with a frown.
Roxas looked at her curiously doesn't fully understanding what she meant. "This girl...she's really dedicated with the things she do." the blond boy thought, his blue eyes glued at the girl's face and remembered when they train. Namine se esforzaba por aprender a blandir una keyblade aunque no tuviera mucho talento en ello.
After leaving the school grounds Namine y Roxas walked by the slightly crowded streets of Radiant Garden. It had been raining lightly when both teens were at the art's classroom but fortunately it had stop shortly after they left the school.
"Hey wait Namine, watch out!" Roxas raised his arm reaching out to the distracted girl walking a few steps ahead of him.
"Eh...?" Namine turned to see Roxas without realizing the wet and slippery sidewalk in front of her.
Everything happened in seconds. In a moment Namine was standing, then a loud crash was heard and then the girl was in the cold, damp concrete.
"Hey, are you okay?" Roxas knelt beside her, concern filled his blue irises.
"I ahm...yeah, somehow." he blonde said, embarrassed by her clumsiness. She put her palms on the floor to get up but a twinge of pain in her right wrist stopped her.
"What happen?" the boy asked looking at her legs thinking that maybe she twisted an ankle.
Namine noticed his stare and replied with a reassuring smile. "It's nothing."
Roxas sighed and offered her his hand to help her stand up. Namine looked at him as a blush sprayed on her cheeks. "tha-thanks..." she mumbled taking his hand with her good one.
When the blonde girl was up she shoved carefully her injured hand inside her jacket's pocket. He looked at her hand suspiciously. "Let me see your hand."
"Huh..? I'm fine, really." Namine replied with a nervous laugh.
"Namine..." He approached her, his deep blue eyes had a knowingly gleam in them.
The blonde extended her arm to him reluctantly. "If you insist…" The way he talked to her made her feel like a child being scolding by her parents.
"It's a little swollen." Roxas said examining her delicate hand.
"Now you're a doctor?" Namine said sarcastically. Roxas squeezed slightly her wrist gaining a painful hiss from her.
He grinned cheeky. "Do you want me to be your doctor?" Namine looked at him flustered but before she could say something he started dragging her by the street.
"Wai-wait Roxas, where are we going?"
"My house...I need to treat your wound."
"I'm fine; I'll take a painkiller when I get home."
"Could you stop arguing and follow me." Roxas huffed, taking Namine's left hand and pulling her all the way to his apartment.
Namine saw their hands holding and felt her face heating. "It feels kinda...natural." Namine thought but then shook her head frantically. "No Namine! It's weird, awkward, maybe disgusting but never, in any parallel world, natural!" she chided herself.
About fifteen minutes later both blonds' were in an elevator climbing to Roxas' apartment. The boy's hand was still holding the artist one and that made Namine feel uneasy.
"Come on, hurry up please." Namine pleaded mentally with her eyes glued at the changing red numbers on the elevator's screen.
When the moving device came to a halt and the metallic doors slide open Roxas lead Namine out of it and to the door of his house while the blonde took on her surroundings. The hall had cream colored walls, nice illumination, paintings hanging and some plants here and there. Even if she had been here before she must be too shocked to admire well decorated place.
"This is my place." Roxas mumbled, letting go the girl's hand and searched behind a nearby plant something. She looked at her hand strangely, missing the warmth that Roxas' hand provided her seconds ago.
"What are you doing?" Namine asked him curiously.
"I...uhm forget my keys inside the house but I hid a spare here. Just in case." the blond replied nonchalant showing her the small, silver key before using it to open the door. Namine almost facepalmed. Really who in the world keeps a spare key in a big plant pot but she just stayed silent and waited until he opened the door and stepped inside flicking the light on.
God, she really must have been in shock the first time she was here if she didn't notice how amazing his house was! The living room in front of her had a large window at the far wall that had an spectacular overview of the city, two dark brown sofas before a widescreen television with some consoles attached to it and a white marble coffee table, at her left was the kitchen that she somewhat remembered and at her right was a hallway. She thought that the apartment was amazing but too spacious for one person.
"Leave your things somewhere and come with me." he said throwing his backpack on one sofa and walking to the hallway. Namine did as she was told and left her messenger bag on a sofa and followed him. He opened the second door at his left, and motioned her to go inside. "Wait here."
Namine went inside and noticed she was in the bathroom. She remembered it smaller but in reality it was big. She sighed and sat on the toilet with her wounded hand resting on her lap. Minutes later Roxas entered the bathroom with a cold compress.
"Put it on your wrist." Roxas told her calmly before rummaging the contents of a cabinet below the sink and taking out a bandage and a white bottle. "Okay, let me see." the blond knelt before her and left the things on the floor before taking carefully her hand in his.
"It's not that bad." she mumbled looking at him. He seemed to be deep in thought.
"It's just a bit swollen but still it would be better if I bandage it." Roxas told her and opened the white bottle revealing a green ointment inside it. He applied it on her wound softly before he started to bandage it.
"His hands are so warm and soft..." she thought. "You're skilled at this." Namine said amazed.
"I have practice. I used to treat my bro-" Roxas halted mid sentence like he just remembered something but then continued. "Someone's wounds. That person always got hurt and I had to treat him."
"Him…?" she thought arching an eyebrow but she noticed how tense Roxas got so she decided that it was better to drop the topic and replied nonchalantly. "I...I see."
"I've finished." he said letting go her hand and keeping the ointment on the cabinet.
"Thank you..." Namine mumbled touching her bandaged hand.
"No problem, I'll get you home. It's getting late." Roxas said emotionless before leaving the bathroom.
"He has this gloomy aura around him again. Also, who is 'him'...?" Namine whispered softly sighing but somehow she knew that maybe she would never know the answer to that question.
End flashback
After a refreshing and relaxing shower the girl was clad in her baggy pink pjs and drying her long, platinum blonde hair with a towel. Even when her right hand didn't hurt anymore she had re-bandaged it carefully, trying to emulate Roxas but she wasn't good at it. The petit artist left the lilac towel on the floor and shook her head side to side disheveling her platinum tresses.
"Namine, I made hot chocolate...you want some?" her mom's voice called her from downstairs.
"Yeah, please mom!" Namine replied gleefully at the thought of the sweet beverage. A few minutes more Penelo entered her daughter's room with a big cup of hot chocolate.
"Here you go dear. Are you sure your hand is okay?" Penelo left the cup on the night table beside the bed and sat beside Namine. The blonde woman touched the girl's hand carefully, her face becoming worried.
Namine squeezed her mom's hand reassuringly. "I'm fine mom...it's nothing really."
"Okay...goodnight dear and drink the chocolate before it gets cold." Penelo kissed Namine's forehead before she left the room.
Namine sipped at chocolate, letting the warm and delicious liquid filled her mouth. She sighed crossing her legs feeling absolutely relaxed. Suddenly her mobile phone began to vibrate and beep. It was a text message.
From: Roxas
how's your hand, klutz girl?
"Who's the klutz, jerk?" Namine mumbled annoyed but inside she felt happy that the blond boy texted her.
_
From: Namine
"better, thanks but I'm not klutz!"
From: Roxas
"then why did you fall so klutzy?"
From: Namine
"I fell because you distracted me and couldn't see puddle in front of me."
From: Roxas
"so you're saying that my attractiveness distracted you?"
From: Namine
"someone's getting flaunty, I never said anything about you being attractive...it was just that your annoying voice distracted me."
_
Roxas was lying on his bed wearing only a pair of sweatpants. He thought that surely Namine was awake so he decided to troll the girl so when his ringtone rang loudly he anticipated Namine's voice yelling at him the second he picked up the call.
"Hiya buddy! How's everything?" a certain redheaded man said lively.
Roxas blinked twice. He could recognize that voice wherever. "Axel?! What the hell...? Where are you?"
"Calm down, okay? I'm in Hollow Bastion with my babe."
"I'm not your babe, bastard!" Larxene barked loudly enough for Roxas to hear her.
"What are you doing with Larxene? I thought she wasn't part of the Organization anymore." Roxas asked adopting a sitting position in the bed.
Axel sighed. "Indeed she's out of it but I had some issues with her, I'll tell you the details later. Now tell me...someone of the organization contacted you in my absence? How are you and little blondie? Did you continue with her training?"
"Everything's fine, no one had contacted me. I've been practicing with Namine often; also she's getting better at using the keyblade."
"Oh you called her by her name. She must have done something really good." the redhead said in a teasing tone.
"She hasn't done anything Axel; it's just that she's my classmate and hunt partner. It's...correct to call her by her name." Roxas replied nonchalant but a slight blush appeared on his cheeks, thankfully axel couldn't see him.
"If you say so, kiddo...by the way, I'm returning to Radiant Garden tomorrow."
"Okay, you know where the key is in case I'm not in the apartment."
"Yeah, see ya buddy. Oh and...If something – anything - happen called me, got it memorized?"
"Yes, yes...see you tomorrow Axel." Roxas replied tiredly before the line went out.
After his conversation with axel, Roxas felt totally exhausted but he typed a quick text and sent it before he left his mobile phone on his night table and went straight to sleep.
From: Roxas
"I have the sensation that someone had been observing me recently. Probably Saix or Zexion."
Axel's green eyes turned inquisitive after he read the text of his best friend. Why the hell is Roxas being watched? Maybe Saix suspected that Roxas was involved with him – and in some way he was but indirectly – or maybe he thought that Roxas was planning in betray the organization but it was something impossible, after all his wish isn't fulfilled yet and knowing Roxas he would never give up on him. Anyway, as long as Xemnas don't suspect of him everything's fine.
"Then...you're leaving?" Larxene - who was lying on her white sofa - asked lazily to the redhead, stopping his internal monologue.
"I need to return to Radiant Garden, there are still things to do." Axel replied nonchalant shoving his mobile phone in his jeans pocket.
The woman chuckled amusedly with her cyan eyes glued at the TV screen. "You almost sounded like you were in the middle of an important job."
"I'm in an important job...why? Are you sad?"
"Ha! Of course, your presence is as indispensable to me as air." Larxene's voice was laced with sarcasm. She sat upright in the sofa, axel sat beside her.
"I knew it, you can't live without me, babe..." he whispered husky at her ear.
"I told you I'm not your babe, idiot! In fact, I'm glad you're leaving soon; I miss the quiet of my apartment. Also you have the information you wanted for a while, I don't understand what you were doing here?" she spat and pushed him away forcefully.
"Do you really don't understand what I'm doing over here Larxene? Then let me enlighten you..." Axel took her face in his hands and turned her face to him fully. His lips connecting with Larxene's in a somewhat passionate kiss.
After a few moments the blonde woman separated her face from his a little so she could breath. "It seems that it's you who can't live without me." she stood up, picked up her black, leather jacket and her keys from the coffee table and walked to the front door.
"Where are you going?" axel asked her, surprised at her sudden action.
"I'll go out for a while. Don't wait for me." she replied without looking at him before leaving the place and a dumbfounded behind.
A/N: Hey there my dear readers! I'm so sorry for the loooooong waiting. I was supposed to upload this chapters three weeks ago but I don't know why I didn't! Please, forgive me! Also I was checking the first chapters and noticed a lot of grammatical mistakes soooo I'm going to edit them, don't worry I'm not going to rewrite them just correct them :)
I want to thank all of you for reading my fic and a special thanks to Snowdroplet for adding this story and me to his/hers favorite and alert list, The Trio of Twilight for adding this fic to his/hers favorite list and Midnight Rising for adding thi fic to his/hers favorite and alert list. Thanks a lot for your support guys!
Anyway, I hope you like this chapter and please review :3