Naminé was speechless. She stood in a mostly empty kitchen talking to someone she would never have spoken to of her own accord normally, but for some reason, she was invested.
"Seriously. I'm not going to hurt you. Unless you make me." Larxene stated matter of factly with a devilish grin. Naminé felt a tingle down her spine. Larxene was smiling when she said those words, but there was a subtle undertone that made Naminé wonder how much she actually meant that.
"What would constitute making you?" Naminé asked before she could stop herself. She mentally kicked herself for speaking before thinking, but Larxene took it in stride.
"Usually, people ask me out before discussing kinks." Naminé could feel her face heat up.
"That's not what I-"
"I know. You strike me as the pure innocent type." Larxene stated bluntly. "Honestly, we probably wouldn't get along very well. You already look like you'd rather be anywhere but here."
"Who's to say..." Naminé muttered, unsure of what to say. She hated the dismissive way Larxene assessed her, but she couldn't deny that Larxene was correct, even if only accidentally. It's not that Naminé was inherently innocent, she just didn't have anyone to not be innocent with. At least, that's what she told herself.
"Why did you come?"
"Olette invi-"
"I mean the real reason." Larxene interrupted. The look in her eyes told Naminé that Larxene was much sharper than she let on. Her playful demeanor belied a calculating mind. Naminé might have been annoyed by it if it wasn't so refreshing.
"I...needed to get my mind off someone." Technically true.
"So you came to a loud little house party and aren't even going to drink?"
"Trust me, I can make stupid decisions without the need of booze." Naminé wasn't sure why she said that. Larxene had a way of getting Naminé to speak without thinking. Like, if she didn't speak fast enough, Larxene would devour her.
"Oh?" Larxene raised an eyebrow. "You say that, but I don't buy it. You radiate 'tattle tale' energy." She stated bluntly. Almost as if challenging Naminé to prove that she was worth Larxene's time.
"Honestly? I'm actually a bitch. That's why I have no friends." Naminé responded. She tried to put on a confident face, but the way her voice trembled, it seemed more like she was about to burst into tears than make any bold declarations. Larxene erupted into laughter.
"She swears? Didn't see that coming!" Larxene continued to laugh, her eyes twinkling with amusement. It was clear that Larxene was starting to get interested in the shorter blonde, and Naminé wasn't sure whether she liked that or not. "Well, Little Miss Bitch, you seem more interesting than I first thought."
"Thanks, I think?" Naminé responded. She could tell Larxene was the type to speak her mind, and if anyone didn't like that it was squarely a 'them' problem.
"Sure." She said with a smirk. "I'll see you around." Grabbing a red plastic cup filled with something strong smelling, she sauntered her way out of the kitchen, leaving Naminé with her thoughts again. Or, at least, those of them that she could hear over the pounding music. Naminé was already feeling like leaving, but she didn't want to come up with an excuse to tell Olette. It definitely had nothing to do with the blonde girl she was speaking to earlier. Naminé wrinkled her nose at the scent of more alcohol being poured into red cups and placed on the kitchen counter. Even if Naminé were more outgoing she probably wouldn't care for alcohol. It had a strong, unpleasant odor, and a more unpleasant taste. She could never understand why people drank it until they couldn't see straight. Exiting the kitchen and scooting past a couple making out in the archway, she frowned. She considered slipping out the front door once more, but talked herself out of it. 'This is still better than thinking about Kairi all night... I think.' She thought to herself. Narrowly avoiding being knocked over by a group of people dancing, she decided to get some distance from the living room. Walking up the stairs, past another pair of people talking excitedly about something she couldn't quite hear, she noticed an orange door at the end of the hall. Olette's room. Or, at least she assumed. Olette had a very obvious preference for the color orange. Her phone case, bag, and laptop were all bright orange, or covered in orange stickers. It not being her room seemed like an impossibility. If nothing else, it would offer a bit of reprieve from the music and smell of beer for a bit. Naminé quickly slipped into the room, gently closing the door behind her. Hopefully, Olette wouldn't need to come in here for anything.
Turning around, Naminé faltered. She wasn't really sure what Olette's room would be like, but she definitely hadn't expected it to be filled wall to wall with 'Hello Chirithy' merch.
"Wow." Naminé muttered under her breath. She was stunned. "I guess you don't really know someone until you've seen their room." There was hardly any space in the room not covered by a plush. Not to say that the room was dirty or unkempt, it was very organized and neat. Shelves and dressers lined with figures, plushes and other merch Naminé didn't even realize existed. A 'Hello Chirithy' branded tin lunch box sat displayed proudly on the middle of Olette's desk. 'Who is that even for?' Naminé mused. 'Does anyone still actually use those?' Naminé plopped down at the foot of the bed at the center of the room. Naminé was unfazed by the fact that it also was 'Hello Chirithy' themed. 'Honestly, it'd be weirder if it wasn't' she thought. For a moment, Naminé sat quietly before pulling out her phone. Somehow, despite it feeling like a micro eternity, she'd only been here for an hour and a half. She groaned. She was definitely regretting coming to the party now. After a minute or two something soft brushed against her leg. Naminé froze. 'What the hell was that?'
"Mreow" A fluffy black and white cat slowly scampered out from beneath the bed, headbutting Naminé's shin, and then looking up at her expectantly.
"Well, aren't you just adorable!" Naminé spoke, reaching down to pat the cat who reared up on its hind legs at her touch. Naminé reached her fingers down to the collar after scritching its chin for a few seconds and read the name etched into the medallion. "Figaro."
"Morw" Naminé chuckled. Perhaps this party wasn't such a huge waste of time after all.
"I'm sure you're just as tired of all the noise and commotion down stairs as I am, huh" Figaro continued to circle Naminé's legs, periodically headbutting her and meowing for more attention and pats. Naminé considered just spending the next few hours up here, hanging out with the handsome Figaro, but her thoughts were abruptly interrupted as someone came storming into the room. Larxene stopped in her tracks, silently looking around the room in what appeared to be abject horror and amusement before her expression soured again.
"Yeah. I'm well aware mom. ...I don't see how that's my problem." Larxene pinned Naminé with a quick glare before focusing her attention on the phone call she was having again. "Wow, so after twenty years he thinks it's okay to just waltz back into my life?" Naminé did her best not to eavesdrop on the conversation, but considering their location it was impossible not to overhear. "Good intentions alone do not a good father make, mom... And that's my choice, I don't owe him anything. Or you for that matter!" A pause. Naminé could sense Larxene's agitation rising and if she was being honest, it left her a bit worried. Like if she didn't escape soon all of that anger would be directed at her. "Listen really close when I tell you this mom; I don't fucking care. There are plenty of people in the world he can go to... you can tell him whatever you want! Well I'll be sure to let you know when I give a fuck, but don't wait up." Silence. Larxene had hung up the phone and her attention shifted to Naminé. Naminé considered saying something, but she felt that anything she could say would only make this situation more awkward.
"You know sitting up here like a wallflower won't do you much good. What if I was bringing someone up here to get laid?" Larxene crossed her arms, her eyes analyzing Naminé like a puzzle.
"Uh..."
"You don't strike me as the type to want to join in."
"Well, No... I'm sorry, I didn't intend to- I mean it's none of my busi-"
"Forget it. " More silence. Larxene sighed and rubbed her temples. "Look, I don't exactly feel like hanging around here any more, and you obviously don't want to be here either. Want to kick rocks?"
"And go where?" Naminé asked but was met with a shrug.
"Wherever the fuck we want, really."
"..." Naminé looked into Larxene's eyes. They looked stormy. Her instincts told her that she really shouldn't but another part of her was willing her to. Curiosity? Maybe. It didn't matter though, before Naminé could think about it any further she agreed. "Sure."
"Cool." Larxene grabbed Naminé by the wrist and all but dragged her down the stairs and out the front door. Naminé thought she could see Roxas giving her a look as they exited but she didn't have time to process that before she was standing next to an ice white two door convertible, and having keys tossed to her.
"Wha-" Naminé stammered.
"I had some drinks. I mean, I can drive if you want me to but I didn't think you were the type to endorse such a thing." Larxene stated, a smirk tugging the corner of her lips.
"What would you have done if I didn't have my license?" Naminé asked, plopping down in the driver seat following Larxene.
"Walk probably."
Naminé could sense that she wasn't joking. It didn't even cross her mind to point out how dangerous it would be for a woman to be walking around at night alone. Something told her that anyone dumb enough to cross her path would be the one shouting for help not Larxene.
"Well. Where to?" Naminé asked, turning the key in the ignition and feeling the engine roar to life. Naminé was very much not a car person, but she could tell this thing had some power.
"You're the one with the steering wheel, why are you asking me?" Larxene opened the glove box and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, popping one between her lips and lighting it. "Want one?" she offered.
"Uh..No, thanks."
"Figured. Just thought I'd ask." She lit the cigarette with a disposable lighter and tossed it in one of the cup holders in the center console. With that, Naminé shifted the seat and carefully pulled out of the driveway, making sure to avoid any party goers who had spilled out into the front of the house. Naminé wasn't really sure where to go. She didn't own a car because she rarely left her own dorm so it'd just collect dust most of the time. She didn't know of any hangouts or anything like that and even if she did, they probably wouldn't be places Larxene would like to go. For a while Naminé drove aimlessly, Larxene sitting quietly beside her, only moving to take drags from her cigarette. Naminé stole a glance at her before her eyes flicked back to the road.
"You gonna tell me something cliche like 'those will kill you, you know?' Larxene asked.
"No. Actually, I was just thinking that you don't smell like a smoker." Naminé answered, pretending to be very focused on the road, despite there being barely any other drivers. Even if it wasn't the middle of the night, people in Twilight Town preferred to use the tram.
"Without context, that makes you sound like a fucking weirdo, you know that right?"
"Well, I do now." Ouch.
Larxene laughed. "You're a strange one. I like that." For a bit, a comfortable silence fell between them before Larxene spoke up again."So what kind of person was on your mind to make you go to a party you didn't want to be at just to avoid thinking about them?"
"It's...complicated." Naminé answered, not really interested in elaborating.
"Obviously. People don't act against their nature for simple things." Larxene stated matter of factly. It helped that she was right.
"And how would you know my nature?"
"I knew it the second you walked through the door back at Olette's. You immediately found the furthest corner and just watched everyone have a good time. No way someone like that attends parties, or has many friends. "Larxene spoke with such confidence it almost made Naminé want to tell her she was wrong. Almost.
"I just...prefer to observe." Naminé said after a few seconds.
"Observe? Like, what, bad dance moves and desperate flirting?"
Naminé smiled despite herself. "Something like that."
"Pfft." Larxene laughed. "Well, I guess you picked the right crowd for that. Seriously, that Hayner guy was so desperate I was worried he'd start offering to pay women to talk to him."
Naminé couldn't help but laugh. She didn't know much about Hayner, but from the way Olette spoke about him, he definitely had a thing for her. "I'd bet he was trying to make Olette jealous."
"Holy fuck, no way?" Larxene sat up some, clearly enthused.
"I think he has feelings for her and she hasn't noticed."
"Wow, that is actually hilarious. Who knew people still did stupid shit like that? This isn't a romance manga or something. So cringe."
Naminé felt a little guilty laughing along with Larxene but it felt good. She didn't feel like she had to pretend with her. It was easy to just be swept up in Larxene's energy.
"Well... We're here." Naminé spoke, slowly pulling the car to a stop outside of a dingy rundown mansion behind a towering wrought iron and brick fence.
"Where the fuck is here?" Larxene seemed to tense up, glancing around the rather desolate area. Besides the mansion and a foggy forest, there really wasn't much out here. Before Naminé could answer, Larxene reached down and snatched a knife from her boot, pointing it directly at Naminé's neck.
