Friend Like Me

Disclaimer: You know how it goes. Too poor to own KoG, blah blah.

Aisha laughed, as she stared at herself in the mirror. It was a quiet chuckle at first. Carrying so little weight and mirth that anyone else that might have been in the room with her might not have heard it. But as time passed, it grew louder. It ceased being a deal whisper and transformed into a louder, sardonic sound that scalded the skin as it assaulted the ears. And finally, she began to laugh hysterically at herself in the mirror; the pathetic, sad excuse for an artist she had thought she could become. Who was she fooling, really? Did she have the talent for the arts? Sure. Even a mong could splatter paint across a canvas and think it was the most amazing thing since sliced bread.

Aisha couldn't help herself anymore. She laughed at her art, sitting perfectly still on the canvas, half finished. It was supposed to be another depiction of Add, this time wearing an open purple and black shirt, cracking his knuckles and giving that same cocky grin she had fallen in love with those years ago. A single word graced the image at the top. "Lunatic". But was that really what she thought of him? He had been nothing, if not kind to her and she kept him at arm's length. Was it fair? Probably not. Did she still condemn him for shattering her heart? Of course. But she knew better than to keep holding something over his head that he had long since paid for and regretted.

She laughed at herself, bent at the waist laughing for who knows what reason. The pretty girl with her hair down, her lips painted the same shade of purple as her hair, with matching finger and toenails. The girl wearing denim cut off short shorts and a white tank top with Eve's face as a design across the stomach. The girl who, against her better judgment, had worn makeup for the first time in forever just to remind herself of the one thing she was not: pretty. The girl who had attempted to be ironic in her dressing up and had instead broken her own heart twofold. Tears streamed down her face as her laughter transformed to sobs, unaware of the presence beside her, but instantly taking comfort at the gentle hand on her back. She clung to that person, whoever it was, and let herself be held.

Eve had watched the scene from the doorway, curious as to why Aisha had been putting on makeup, but let the small smile grace her lips regardless. Aisha was a very beautiful girl to the shorter woman's eyes. She was friendly and loud when she was happy, and very violent and quiet when she was angry. She could be moody, sometimes unfriendly, and when she was stressed, she could be irritating and annoying. But Eve couldn't think of any other woman she would rather be friends with than Aisha. Aisha made her feel as if her emotions weren't locked away. She brought out her emotions, made her think and feel again. If she knew what Aisha's sexual preference was, Eve would gladly have stolen the woman away if she herself felt the same, but alas she did not. She loved Aisha, sure. But only as a friend and younger sister.

Gently, she stroked Aisha's back as the girl clung to her, sobbing loudly. It was the first time she had seen Aisha break down like this over a fight with anyone. Even the landlord and her boss only caused Aisha mild irritation at times, but this? This was something on a far different level than Eve was used to, and she sadly didn't know what to do. So instead she held the girl, humming lightly to a song that she recently got stuck in her head.

It took a long time for Aisha to calm down. Having spent all of her energy, she fell asleep in Eve's arms. The tiny woman simply held Aisha as she slept, ignoring Oberon and Ferdinand as they came to collect her for her work. She didn't feel like doing anything but being there for her friend. even if doing so meant being used as a pillow. Not that Eve minded, in truth. Aisha wasn't very heavy. She was comfortable and easy to hold.

Eventually, Eve fell asleep as well. What else could she have done?

x X x

Add stood around the corner as he heard the commotion going on in Aisha's room. At first, he had been curious about what was so funny and came to find out what it was, but stopped as soon as he heard her sobbing. Add's heart wrenched at the sound, memories flooding back to the time he had broken her heart. He had always known that Aisha wasn't exactly the most forgiving person in the world; a fact he'd come face to face with since he had appeared in her life again. He didn't have to think very hard to know what she had been crying about. It was most likely his fault, and the conversation they'd had only hours before. He didn't know how much it still tore her up inside until today.

With a wry smile, Add returned to his room in the attic, quietly pulling the ladder up and closing the trapdoor. At the desk lay a small mechanical doll in the likeness of the girl he still cared deeply for. The tank top and shorts matched her usual attire when Aisha felt too lazy to go out, the messy violet hair held in a loose, but still cute bun, even the sheepish smile. Everything was a perfect replica. He sat at the desk and picked up the doll, flicking the switch on its back to make the doll come to life. Immediately it began to move, doing a little dance he had seen Aisha do when they were younger. Add's greatest asset, he had been told plenty of times, was his photographic memory and his attention to detail.

He smiled down at the doll softly, a soft sigh escaping him as he turned it off and lay it gently on the desk. It was supposed to have been a present for the girl. A sort of goodwill token. But what was he supposed to do with it now? He knew already that Aisha wouldn't accept it under any other circumstance. She didn't trust or even like him. Not that he could blame her. He frowned, leaning back in the chair and glancing up at the ceiling. The dynamos floated nearby, awaiting further instructions, but were ultimately ignored. What was he going to do...?

A loud thump on the trap-door brought Add from his thoughts and he moved to see who it was. Eve and Aisha stood there quietly. Without a word, Add lowered the ladder and let them up, quickly moving scattered pieces out of the walkway and off of the mattress that sat unused on the floor. It was rare to get visitors, least of all the two women he shared the studio with. At most, they merely knocked once and called to him once he opened the door to come eat.

"It's dusty," Aisha remarked, scrunching up her nose and taking a seat on the bed.

"Would be a lot cleaner had I had the money for cleaning stuff. Since I'm apparently not allowed to use any of yours." Add remarked passively with a shrug. Whether Aisha got upset by his comment or not, he paid little mind. The girl said nothing, however, and instead, Eve moved over to the desk to see what he had been working on. Add made no motion to hide it, but instead held it up to her. "Cute, isn't it?" He asked with a slight smile. The tiny woman looked it over with a discerning eye. "It was supposed to be a gift. I'm almost done."

"You have quite an eye for detail," Eve remarked, handing the doll back to Add and going back to sit next to her friend. Aisha looked curiously from one to the other, but Eve said not a word. Add turned in his seat and tossed the doll to the girl. Aisha couldn't help but be amused by it as well. She turned the doll over in her hands, noticing the switch on the back.

"What does it do?" Aisha asked, tempted to flick the switch. She didn't however. Instead, she sat it on the floor in front of her on its feet. Add didn't answer her question, however. He decided to just let her figure it out on her own, rather than just give her the answer right away. It was rather cute though, Aisha mused while she toyed lightly with the doll's hair.

It was quiet for a long while, and it was by no means comfortable. Add himself still wondered why Aisha and Eve were even in his room. The dynamos stayed put, scanning the occupants in the room. Without the order from their master, they couldn't begin collecting data, and he was itching to start working again himself.

"Look-"

"I'm sorry, okay? About earlier. I didn't treat you very fairly, and I said a lot of hurtful stuff to you." Aisha cut Add off, without looking up at him. "I won't make excuses. I don't trust you. And you showing up here all of a sudden and all the stress I've been put through hasn't helped in the slightest. But that doesn't mean I have to keep holding the past over your head."

"It's not like I gave you much reason to trust me either, staying locked up in my room all day. I assumed that after all this time you would have forgotten what a jerk I had been to you and I could just start over and be someone different. I never realized how much it still haunted you until today." Add admitted with a wry smile. "So I owe you an apology as well. I didn't take your feelings into account like I should have."

"And I'll apologize too," Eve started, her monotone voice breaking the silence that had threatened to descend upon them after the apologies were made. "On two fronts. I was the one that had you fired, though your assets being frozen was not my doing. I wanted my company back from my father, and ordered all people that worked with my father fired as well. Had I known you were with him, I would have made an exception," Eve replied, first glancing to Add, who stiffened and glared at the tiny woman. "And to you, Aisha. I was the one that called Add here. I at first wanted to talk to him about his proposal of working together, but I couldn't leave the studio. Neither Oberon nor Ophelia would let me. He simply came sooner than I expected him to.

"But this way as well, you can confront the person who hurt you and you can start on the path of healing. It was an accident that things worked out the way they did, but as your friend, I want what's best for you. I want you to reach the potential I know you can. I want the world to see what you can do when you put your mind to it because you have truly beautiful works of art. Some are just waiting to get out, and others you discard because you are trying to see beauty from someone else's eyes." Eve said with a smile. She gently caressed Aisha's face while turning the violet haired girl's face towards hers, noting the slight tears in her eyes from Eve's words. "You are very beautiful, Aisha. The vision of beauty. The literal personification of it. And every piece of art that you create is but one more bit of beauty that you have graced us with. I know you're stressed. I know you're struggling. I know you're stubborn and will not accept help from others. But know this. You are my friend. All you have to do is ask, and I will do anything for you."

"I know that, but-"

"Not buts," Eve cut her off, the same gentle smile on her face. Cupping Aisha's face in both hands, Eve kissed the girl's forehead lightly. "Just let me help you. Let all of us who want you to succeed help you."

Aisha sighed and nodded silently, leaning into Eve as the little woman struggled to stay upright while holding her friend. Add watched them silently before leaving the room to go find something else to do-. The dynamos followed silently after him as he slipped on his shoes and jacket, then headed out the door

And then promptly came right back and changed clothes before leaving again.