Once We're Gone
Disclaimers: I own this plot and certain characters.
Authors Note:
I think I just experienced a heart attack…
I went to this Alive Festival for a few days with no computer access whatsoever and I come back to see 29 new reviews and over 1000 new hits. I'm SO happy people like this story!
Anyways, I wanted to let you all know, (so that most of you don't bite my head off) I will being going away to camp for 5 days June 26th-30th. Right after that, from July 7th-18th I will be going on a Mission's Trip to Ecuador. And once I get home from that, 4 days later I will be vacationing in St. Thomas from July 22nd-July 29th.
Now as you can see, I will be VERY busy this summer. Not too many days in-between for updating. So I thought you guys would be less hectic about updating if I let you know when to expect some. I can't guarantee that I will have an update for every date in-between my crazy summer, but I will try. Last chapter I had writers block for almost two solid months so you have to remember that writers have that happen to them a lot.
Believe me, I wish I could update everyday. That would be lovely :D. But since we all know that's not possible, I hope you guys continue to read and experience patience the days I am away. Don't worry though, come August I will have a lot of free time until school starts up again (Yuck!)
So I think I left you guys hanging last chapter, am I right? Well, carry on then, I won't hold you up any longer!
QUICK SUMMARY: What happens to nobodies once they've become whole again? And what effect does that have on the beings that they are merged with? SK RN
Chapter 7: The Papou Predicament (Naminé and Roxas)
It was a stupid thing to do really.
I mean, Zacx should've paid attention to the situation. Roxas couldn't see, hear or touch Naminé.
And that's why he got nailed by Roxas' two keyblades.
Zacx screamed as he was forced into the wall. He placed his palm to his forehead, which was bleeding from wound. Zacx glared as he clenched his fist, blood trickling down from it. "Damn kid," he snapped. "Why didn't you hit her?"
Roxas smirked. "Because, asshole, I can't touch her."
He nonchalantly cast one keyblade over his shoulder and leaned on the other one. "So," Roxas began, "You gonna fight, or what?" he wondered aloud.
Naminé glanced back and forth between Zacx and what she thought was the location of Roxas. She had no idea what Zacx was doing when he grabbed her. All she knew was that Roxas had apparently knocked him pretty hard. "He must be using the keyblades…" she thought.
Zacx gave off a tiny smirk. "Alright kid, you want to fight for real? Name the time and place." He said.
"Here and now." Roxas affirmed.
Zacx let out a slight chuckle. "You call fighting in a lounge of some Boarding House with those keyrings of yours is really fighting?"
Roxas leered. "Scared Zacx? You can hit a girl but once her friend comes along you back off?" he asked with some triumph in his voice.
His opponent glared at him. "If you want to fight for real, we do it in a public place in front of people. No keys or whatever they are. Just our good ol' fists and legs." Zacx stated.
"You're just afraid."
Zacx chortled a bit. "No, I think that would be you, Roxanne…"
"ROXAS!"
"Whatever." Zacx snorted. "I think without those pretty key sticks of yours you're afraid to fight."
"For your information," Roxas began drawing up one of his weapons, "They're called keyblades. K-E-Y-B-L-A-D-E-S. Got it memorized?"
Zacx rolled his eyes.
"And secondly," Roxas continued, "I'd still beat you in any fight."
This statement made Zacx laugh. "Alright then, it's settled. You and me, this Friday at the Aqua Arena. We'll use it right after my blitzball game. No keyblades and no backing out or else," he winked over to Naminé, "Naminé might have another little accidental push into some wall."
Naminé glared at him. "Scumbag,"
"I have no intention of backing out." Roxas snapped bitterly. "And if I win Zacx, you leave Naminé alone for good." he demanded.
Zacx snorted. "You can have the bitch; she's just a nobody anyways."
Naminé realized how much those certain words stung at that moment.
All of a sudden, a keyblade was to his throat. Zacx was surprised at how quickly Roxas managed to get within a second. "Take it back." Roxas ordered.
"Why, you gonna hit me again?" Zacx muttered with amusement. "It'd be worth it." He said.
Roxas lowered the keyblade and rammed it into Zacx's rectal area.
Zacx let out a large gasp and huddled over in pain. Roxas' look of venom was still planted on his face. "Still worth it?" he asked.
Naminé laughed as she saw Zacx huddled over. "Go Roxas," she stated quietly to herself.
"What the HELL is going on here?"
Harxis rushed down the stairs and had a look of horror on her face when she saw the damage to her lounge. "MY WALL!" she exclaimed. Harxis glared at Roxas who had his keyblades visible. "That's coming out of your paycheck mister!" she snapped. Roxas smirked slightly at Zacx.
"That's fine," he began, "It'll be worth it…" Roxas said putting emphasis on the repeated words.
Harxis turned he gaze to Zacx when he finally lifted his head. "AND YOU," she started, "I knew this was somehow related to you. Forget what I said, Roxas; he will be paying for this." She insisted. "I am sick of seeing you around my boarding house, Zacxius." Harxis stated revealing his full name.
Naminé giggled.
Roxas snorted.
Zacx just glared back.
"Keep away from the girls around here you perverted freak. You scared off two customers already and Rityxe is STILL refusing to go on ANY type of date with anyone who asks!" Harxis continued.
Roxas glowered at Zacx. "What are you? Some freaking teenage rapist or something?" he asked.
"Just an overly hormonal 17 year old." Harxis said.
"Nice to see you care, cousin." Zacx mumbled.
"Cousin/COUSIN?" Naminé and Roxas shouted at the same time, but of course, both didn't know what the other had said.
Harxis shrugged. "Our counterparts were cousins, other than that, no relationship whatsoever, thank God." She muttered.
Zacx slowly got up and slowly walked to the door. "I'm out of here," he said. "Don't forget Blondie, this Friday."
"I'll be there." Roxas promised.
Zacx took one last look at Naminé and blew her a kiss. "You would've been a nice screw." He told her as he left.
Naminé shuddered in disgust.
Roxas was about to chuck a keyblade at Zacx, but Harxis held him back. "Let him go," she insisted. "You'll kick his ass come Friday."
Her smile meant her words.
Roxas returned the grin. "Heh, you're right." He retorted. Roxas blushed sheepishly at the wall. "Uh, I'm really sorry about…" he pointed to the damage, "…that." Roxas said. "You can really take it out of my paycheck."
Harxis just winked at him. "Don't worry about it kid." She told him. "Luckily, his mother also met up with her counterpart. I'll just give her a call." Harxis assured him. Her gaze turned to Naminé. "I think you owe your man a pretty big kiss after that." She thought aloud.
The comment made Roxas turn redder than a tomato.
Naminé chuckled sadly. "Believe me," she began, "If I could see him, I'd give him the best kiss I could give." Naminé revealed.
Harxis blinked at the two. "You can't…see each other?" she questioned.
Both teens shook their heads with sorrow. Harxis shot them both sympathetic looks. "Hmm, I wish I could help." She said sincerely.
"Me too," Naminé replied sadly.
Harxis placed her hand on her shoulder and lifted her chin. "Chin up, okay?" she told her. "You'll see him soon. You seem to eventually anyways." Harxis said. Naminé smiled at the older woman and nodded.
Roxas thought Harxis looked pretty awkward touching thin air, even though it was really an unseen Naminé. He put his keyblades away and headed towards the elevator. "I'm heading up Harxis, it's getting late." He said exiting, without waiting for a reply.
Harxis nudge her head over in Roxas' direction. "Go in the elevator, he's in there. Even if you can't see him, it's worth a shot." She explained to Naminé. Naminé spoke up, "Alright Harxis, I will."
Naminé turned and headed towards the elevator and quickly turned around and mouthed the words, "Thank you."
Harxis nodded, and mouthed back her response.
Naminé smiled, and went to the elevator.
She was about to push the up button but it was already lit. A sad smile crossed her face. "That's right," she whispered, "He's already here." Naminé mumbled.
Roxas tapped his foot as he waited for the elevator. He wondered if Naminé was alright. "Naminé," he muttered, "I'm so sorry I wasn't fast enough to protect you for being harmed." Roxas said aloud. But she couldn't hear him, despite Naminé being right next to him.
The elevator opened and the two entered in.
"Hey, Kairi…"
They reappeared without the other knowing it, at least for a few seconds anyway…
Roxas had been previously daydreaming, looking around the empty elevator, but he suddenly noticed it was full. His eyes widened.
"Naminé!" he exclaimed.
Naminé had not been looking his way until she heard Roxas' voice. Her purse fell to the floor as her mouth dropped. "Ro-Roxas!" she muttered excitedly.
She ran into his arms, nearly knocking him over. He regained balance though, and held her tightly.
"…thank you." Naminé whispered, slightly crying into his chest.
"When I said I'd do anything for you Naminé, I meant it." He said into her hair.
"I really am sorry…and I can't forgive myself for saying those things to you…"
"Don't be," Roxas said, "I know you didn't mean it, you we're just angry…because I was acting like a jealous jerk."
"I liked the fact you were jealous." Naminé smiled at him.
"Yeah?" Roxas said with a grin of his own. "I think I liked being jealous too." He stated.
"You must really like me then…"
Naminé had a twinkle in her eye that Roxas found irresistible. Immediately, he leaned her up against the wall of the elevator and kissed her. Naminé felt her heart racing as Roxas deepened the kisses. She kissed him back as her hand gripped his spiky hair.
Roxas stopped to take a breath. Panting, he rubbed his nose against Naminé's, giving her an Eskimo kiss.
"I guess I do…" he told her. Naminé grew a wide smile on her face.
The elevator bell rang, and the two quickly dashed apart in fear of someone seeing them. Luckily, they did it before the doors opened to reveal a woman waiting to go down.
Roxas cocked his head at Naminé, and motioned for her to follow him.
And of course she did.
The two laughed as they sat on Roxas' chair in his room Naminé was resting on his lap.
"I think that woman could tell what we were doing. She gave us a weird look."
Roxas laughed. "Naminé, I think she thought we were doing more that what we were."
The very thought made Naminé chuckle to the point of tears. "Oh gosh," she began, "We're 15…that's way too young to be doing anything…like…"
"People that young do, erm…-do- it."
"I know Roxas," she said. "I just hate how everyone assumes that all teenagers let their hormones get the better of them."
He smiled at her affectionately as he stroked her head. "You know how you said I made you feel like a somebody?" Roxas asked her. Naminé nodded.
"You still do."
"I can say the same for you."
Naminé nuzzled her head into his neck. "I find it funny," she started, "We're supposed to be beings that can't feel or experience any type of emotion. And yet, you and me are here…"
"Either we're above all that or…"
"Or what?"
Roxas sighed as she looked at him with question in her eyes. "Naminé, did you ever…think that we are feeling these things because we're merged?" he asked.
"I never wanted to think of that possibility." Naminé told him. "I wanted to think that maybe…even though I am a nobody…I could…feel things. Feelings."
Roxas looked saddened by what he was reasoning. He placed Naminé aside as he got up to stand.
"Roxas?"
He looked at her straight in the eye. "Naminé, I think I might just be…feeling this because of Sora's relationship with Kairi. The same goes for you and Kairi."
Naminé looked hurt. "Are you…suggesting that this…this attraction if you want to call it that, is not our own?"
"Even though we make the other feel like a somebody, in the end, we're nobodies."
Naminé walked over and clung to him. "Don't," she whispered.
"Don't what?"
"Don't tell me my feelings aren't mine. I know I can feel, because I'm feeling so many things for you. If they're not mine, what do I have? I don't exist and normally I don't feel but..." she took a breath, "I really need for you. I care for you. I want you. Needing, caring, wanting…I want those to be MY feelings. NOT HERS!"
Her fingernails curled into Roxas' shirt, nearly tearing the fabric.
Roxas sighed. "Naminé," he breathed. "I-I really hate to tell you this but…they shared a papou together. So naturally we'd feel what they're feeling." Roxas paused for a moment. "A few nights ago I was able to talk with Sora. He told me he and Kairi had felt pain in their hearts when they weren't together. And he and I figured it was due to the papou. And Naminé, the papou also causes us to disappear from one another when Sora and Kairi aren't together. We're all connected. We're all affected. In our bodies, minds and…"
He was about to say the third word but hesitated. Roxas placed his hand to his chest. "And hearts…if we had them…"
Naminé took a step back and stared at him. "You…knew what was going on and you…didn't tell me?"
"It was just a theory Naminé,"
"You still could have told me!" she shouted.
"Please don't be angry with me Naminé. I realize now I should've told you but before I didn't think it would matter."
"How can I be angry if I CAN'T EVEN FEEL!"
Roxas pulled her into a tight hug even though she was trying to struggle loose. "Why are you trying to get away?" he asked.
"I don't understand you! One second you're saying these feelings aren't ours and now you're trying to say "Oh well, everything aside, I guess we're doing pretty honky dory right about now!" Naminé said.
"C'mon Naminé, be still."
"NOT UNTIL YOU TELL ME THAT YOU CARE FOR ME BECAUSE YOU CARE FOR ME! Not because of Sora and Kairi, but because –you- want to be with me as much as I want to be with you…"
Roxas resisted the idea of letting go, but eventually did. Naminé's mouth grew slightly agape. He sighed.
"I like you more than you'll ever know Naminé," Roxas began. "I just doubt the ability to like you is mine…" he told her.
He extended his hand towards her shoulder but she drew back. "That shouldn't be your reason for rejecting me…" Naminé told him.
"I'm not reje-"
"Then what are you doing now Roxas?" Naminé questioned. "If you REALLY wanted this to happen between us you'd let it. So if you really aren't rejecting me, shut up and kiss me." She told him.
"And if you are…then just stay there and I'll leave."
Roxas didn't move a muscle. He was too busy in thought.
Tears were visible in Naminé's eyes. "Alright Roxas, I get it. I won't push the matter." She told him. Before she turned around to leave she walked up and gave him a kiss.
"If I could really feel, I think I'd be feeling love…" she whispered.
Naminé quickly darted out the door with her tears running freely. Roxas slouched on his bed in shame. He rubbed his temples in frustration.
"Shit,"
I thought you guys deserved a quick update. (See, Lilac? It's basically getting two chapters at once :D) I'll get chapter 8 out probably late this Friday or Saturday. I will try my hardest; promise!
The next chapter will clear up some things like what went on with Sora/Kairi.
Next Chapter: The Papou Predicament, The Sora and Kairi version. :D
Thanks to my reviewers!
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