Namine was drawing again, not wanting to.... what? Defy him? Let him down? She didn't know herself. But she was drawing.
I won't visit her for a while... He just ignored her and ignored her and continued to ignore her.
All the more time for her to be bothered by others- Larxene seemed to have made it a special mission to torment her.
He finally returned after three weeks or so, eyes hooded.
"Hello," she greeted him, scrambling to get her sketchbook to show him. She'd forgot all about her fear of him in her desire to please him with the pictures.
"Let me see your pad." He said dully, holding his hand out for it. She handed it to him, all smiles and sweetness.
The book was filled with beautiful pictures; she'd clearly been working very hard. Many were of Sora and his friends with her- false memories, just as she'd been told to draw, but plenty of others were meant for Marluxia. Flowers and trees and fruit and vines all growing and twisting. A few more were of herself, and they were good images, even if she seemed unable to draw herself in a good light. There were even a couple for Axel and Larxene- flames and electricity.
"What do you think?" she asked him.
"They're ugly." He tossed the pad back to the girl, non-too-gently. "You have absolutely zero talent. How can you even get off calling what you make art?"
She tried to catch the pad but fumbled, and it fell to the floor. Even that soft sound echoed on the hard, empty walls.
"What?" she blinked with confusion, "But... you told me to draw... you said my drawings were beautiful?"
"I lied," he replied, crossing is arms. "Your drawings are atrocious. You couldn't be worse if you tried."
Taken aback, Namine stepped away from him. "Then why did you want me to draw for you?"
"I thought with some practice you would get better." He said dully, eyes hooded. "You didn't."
Never looking away from the man before her, Namine bent down to fetch the sketchbook off the ground. She stood back up, clutching it protectively in her arms.
"...Then let me go," she choked out, "If I can't draw then... you have no use for me. Let me go."
"No." He said simply, turning and heading towards the door. "You're practically useless, but I won't let you go." He closed the door behind him.
"Then what is it you want me for?" she demanded, voice breaking as she stared after him. Even when the door shut she did not move.
He kept walking and didn't stop, needing to blow off steam. After all, he didn't hate the girl, he loved her drawings- it was hard doing that to her...Not that he cared or anything.
"Well, well," said a cool female voice from behind him, "So the big boss-man thinks he proved a point?"
He stopped his walking, then pivoted 180 on his heel, looking behind him at the voice, though, he knew who it was.
"You call THAT proof?" Larxene cackled, "I saw the whole thing. That wasn't proof... at least... not proof in your favor."
"What else would you want?" He scoffed lightly, starting to walk again.
"Something more then a few false words, Marluxia," she said, walking abreast with him. "All you did was tell her she was no good, and then give her a lame excuse for keeping her here... Even that stupid little girl will figure it out."
"I don't understand why you think I actually care about the girl." He said dully.
"Because you've been getting so defensive," she explained, "you're usually Mr. Cool- but all of a sudden you seem fixated on keeping your 'property' "- here she used air quotes- "nice and safe and all for you. It's disgraceful! Nobodies don't have hearts, so you shouldn't be feeling anything- don't tell me that you have some delusions like Axel does, insisting that Roxas is special enough to make him feel things!"
"I don't have feelings. You know perfectly well that I don't like my things touched. Whether it be an object, or a person." He replied dully.
"No feelings? Then why didn't you do anything worse then give her a few light words?" Larxene snorted. "The Marluxia I knew- the one you used to be- would have ripped her in half." A straying hand caressed his arm and neck, playing with his hair.
He didn't respond to the touch, no snapping, but nothing showing he enjoyed it. "We can't have her killed, we need her for Axel." He said dully.
She giggled girlishly, even as her laughter hid a hit of sadism. "Not quite what I meant. But, yes, we do need her. Sora won't be pliable without her."
"And hurting her will make her less willing to do something. So I'm telling you again. Don't touch her," he grunted.
"Where is THAT goody-goody nicety coming from?" she sounded disgusted, "Not long ago you were going on about how hurting someone is he best way to make them do what you want!"
"She's an exception to that rule. She's weak minded." he frowned. "She'll just break from hurting her, she won't try harder."
"How would you know until you try?" she pressed him on. "Anyway, I won't be convinced until you're back to normal, and she's too scared to even speak without your say-so." With those words and a teasing flick to his cheek, Larxene took off.
He stared after her, his lips curled upwards. What an annoying person.
He didn't used to think that. And Larxene was exploiting that fact. He sighed a bit, deciding to think things over. He couldn't have the head find out about his feelings.
Xemnas finding out about this? No. No that would be bad. VERY bad. Particularly because him discovering Namine at all would lead to his discovery of Marluxia's plan to overthrow him.
Exactly why he needed to discard all these 'feelings' for the girl, have the girl hate him. That was the best plan.