AN: A little more slice of Xikira and Elrena bonding! xD They're so fun to write lol. :) Especially the more emotional stuff! Literally the chapter title lol.

Thud. Thud. Thud!

"Elr-" Xikira stopped, looking up and down the hallway as she lowered her fist. "Larxene?" she called in through the door instead.

"What? What do you want?" came the instant reply. A pause. "Wait, did you just actually knock...?"

"Yes...?" Xikira responded uncertainly.

"Huh. Okay, get in here!"

Xikira happily opened the door and slipped into Elrena's room. It was dimly lit, but she could barely make out Elrena sitting on her bed, one arm holding her sheets up to her neck. It looked strange, but Xikira realized it was probably because of all that "people can't see each other without clothing" stuff she still didn't fully even understand. What was the big deal? Anyways, she let it go without question; she had more important things to discuss! "I was just in Twilight Town - the ice cream shop, it's open 24 hours a day! - and they had all these new flavors in stock and I-" she began excitedly.

"Okay, no, slow down - stop talking!" Elrena cut her off sharply, raising her free hand.

"I just-"

"Stop!"

Xikira fell silent.

"Good." Elrena sighed, brushing at her hair as she sat back on her bed (and readjusting her blanket).

"You're supposed to be being nicer," Xikira reminded, quiet and swift.

Elrena froze. She stared at her. Then she sighed again. She fell back on her bed, letting her arms fall to her sides. "Alright...right! So...ice cream? At...nearly midnight? That sounds...you said- new flavors, huh? Neeeaaaat?" She looked uncertain about herself. She gave a face-stretching smile.

Xikira went to sit down on Elrena's bed with her, smiling back. "I had raspberries, and strawberries, and I ate a cone of mint and chocolate chips, and this lemon stick, and also this other one that was like chocolate but it was all gooey inside."

Elrena listened to her, staring at her. Then, she gave a nod, toying with her hands as she placed them on her stomach. "Right. That sounds...like you ate a lot - you aren't going to throw up on me, are you?" she added quickly, making a face of alarm.

Xikira giggled. "No!"

Surprise crossed Elrena's face. Then, she relaxed. And her smile did too. "Well, good! Soooo...in other news: you finally learned how to respect people's privacy. That's even better. Good...job. I didn't think you had it in you."

"I noticed Saix sent you on a mission earlier today," Xikira said casually. "What did you do?"

"Me? What did I- pfft, nothing important," Elrena waved a hand. "Just some stupid recon mission. Total waste of my time and my talents, by the way..."

"Where did you go? What world?" Xikira said eagerly.

Elrena blinked at her, frowning a little. Then she rolled her eyes. "Um...just some strange world full of planets and flying ships. Boats, like for water, you know what I mean? But somehow they worked in space...don't ask me how! And it wasn't as if I cared to find out, anyways! Hello, do I look like an engineer or whatever?! NO!"

"Flying ships? That sounds like Kairi's!" Xikira exclaimed, beaming.

"Huh?"

"My mom-"

"You're still talking about it like that- no, scratch that, sorry. What were you saying?" Elrena amended, after catching herself.

"My mom has a flying pirate ship," Xikira went on. "It's really cool. She got it from killing the actual captain, and stealing it from him!" she added hopefully, eyeing Elrena.

Elrena eyed her right back, sitting up again now - pulling those blankets up with her again (it was so weird - and a waste of effort, in Xikira's opinion). "Okay, that's...sort of hardcore. She sounds...actually cool?"

"You really think so?!"

Elrena rolled her eyes again, waving a hand. "Don't look into it too deeply, okay? I just said she sounded cool - that's it. I'm not rolling out red carpets for the Princess!"

"Okay."

"Anyways...listen, I have some sleeping to do, so how about you scra- um, leave please?" Elrena rephrased, with sweet tones and a smile.

Xikira stayed where she was, staring at the woman. She put her hands in her lap.

Elrena raised an eyebrow. "What?" she said, with exasperation. "Is there- something else you want to get off your chest?"

"Can I sleep with you?" Xikira blurted.

"W-what?"

"I just...I have all these memories of Kairi and her dad...together...when she's scared or worried, she used to- go and sleep in the same bed as him!" Xikira went on quickly, flushing hard now.

"And...what? So what?"

"So...could we...maybe...?"

"You want us to do that?!" Elrena scoffed. "To be, what, all 'mommy and daughter? Look at us, all cute together?'" she went on scathingly.

"Well...sort of? I just- I'm worried about Xemnas, and about leaving, and...if we get caught or-"

"Nobodies can't worry," Elrena cut her off flatly.

"What if we can?" Xikira countered.

"What?"

Xikira lifted her head to look Elrena in the eyes. She took a breath. "Xemnas lies to us. About everything. Right? He tricks us, deceives us. So...what if he lied to us about that too? What if it was- I don't know- to make us follow him more easily? Because if we felt things...we'd do what we feel instead of following orders?"

Elrena frowned, a thoughtful look crossing her face. She nodded. "Okay, that's...an interesting theory...but we know what we feel is just tricks of the mind. It's- memories of feeling. That's all."

"Or it's real. I feel, in here. I know I do! It isn't just memories. And trust me, I know more about memories than anyone!" Xikira answered firmly. "What about you? What about yesterday? The mall? When you saw me crying like that? Why would I waste my time faking that? And you- in the bathroom...why would you, of all people, fake that yourself? How you looked, how you acted, how you sounded. You cried, too! If you're really some terrible, emotionless bitch of a woman, why would you ever bother? Unless it was real, and spontaneous! Doesn't it feel real? Doesn't it make more sense if it's real? Somehow, even without Hearts, we can still feel! I know we can!"

For a long minute, Elrena sat there in silence. Staring at Xikira. And then, past her. Her hand rose to her chest, and a gasp came from her lips. Her eyes closed, and her head fell. "No, that's not- I- that- look, you're just being a little- you don't even know what you're saying-"

"I know it's real," Xikira cut her off. "And I think you do too. Nothing really makes sense otherwise, does it? If it feels real, then it has to be real! But...maybe...you wouldn't want them to be real. Because if they are...then that means you really are just a bitch - a bitch who's trying to be better now, though," she added on quickly.

Elrena let out a shaking breath into her hand, muffled. And then she threw herself back and turned over, curling up on the bed.

"Fuck, you're r-right!" she choked out.

The agreement didn't make Xikira feel much better in that moment, watching Elrena's distress.

Elrena raised her head, gazing at Xikira with eyes of streaming tears, her lips shaking. "Okay, come here - come on..." she told her thickly.

Xikira blinked. Then she made her way up the bed to lay down with Elrena.

"B-but- you can't- tell anyone..." Elrena whispered out to her, up close now. "I don't need these...jackasses thinking I'm some loli-loving freak..."

"A what-loving-"

"Shhh! Just sleep damnit!" Elrena paused. "And don't ever ask me about that again!" she added, in a strange voice that almost sounded...like she thought it was funny?

"Okay..." Xikira agreed, not really understanding it.

Xikira closed her eyes and relaxed her body, getting more comfortable.

It was kind of hard to sleep when the person beside you started sobbing really loudly, though - and also when they pulled you into their arms and started squeezing you half to death!