fourteen | oo34 [ voice // action ]

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oo34 [ voice // action ]

[ Today is a big, big day for Xion. Though she'd planned to do ... what she's about to do ... from the start, her original plans had never included the journal. Not on Valentine's Day!

But strangely enough, she seems to have forgotten there's any inherent risk to using the journal today... and since it's such a big day, she wants to be positive she'll catch him. So early in the morning, before school, she'll toss this filter up. ]

( Filtered to Luke | Locked 100% )

Hey, Luke...? Could you meet me outside after school? I have-- um... I wanted to talk to you.

[ She'll leave it at that, and not wait for a reply -- or even look for one later. It's too nerve wracking! Instead she'll fidget herself through her school day, doing something rather unusual for her -- paying exactly zero attention in all of her classes. She's a little too busy playing out in her mind all the ways this can go horribly, terribly wrong.

... and maybe, just maybe, the one way it can go right.

Yes, today is a day Xion will be making repeated and valiant efforts not to blush.

Anyway, after school, true to her word she'll be waiting not far from the entrance to the building, fussing with the bag she's got strung over her shoulder. She keeps reaching into it, to fiddle with something in there... but she doesn't take that something out.

She looks very nervous, and a little flushed. Do feel free to bother her. ]

(ooc; HEY GUYS - EVENT MUSIC! SING ALONG!

ps this post will require sending time and space off a cliff but that is totally okay. will get to backtags slowly, hooray for next two days off! happy valentine's day!!)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Father...

Lost in thought for a moment, Xion moves over to his bed and takes a seat on the edge, briefly swinging her legs and looking up at the ceiling as she thinks. ]

Hey, Luke? [ finally looks down at him, her expression one of innocent curiosity. ] What was it like, having parents? Or at least... growing up with them, I guess.

[ she's wondered, from time to time, but always found it a little awkward to ask of real people. after all, it was normal for them to have families... or at least to've had parents of SOME sort, even if they never knew those parents for very long. but she was built... created like a doll. a doll has no family... and of course, Sanji does come to mind, but she didn't "grow up" with him -- she never had anything even like a parent back home. Axel, though dispenser of All Wisdom as far as Xion and Roxas were concerned back then, was more like a teacher, though kind of a grudging, confused one.

so the question is purely innocent. there's no jealousy or anything behind it, she's just ... always wondered. ]

What's it like?

[... Hmm. That's... kind of a difficult question for Luke. His father was rarely around except to scold him, having purposely distanced himself thanks to the Score, and his mother, bless her, she tried... but she was sick so often that she just couldn't be there a lot of the time.

Thus, he runs his thumb lightly over one of the aloe vera stalks as he thinks about the question. What was it like?]

It's... secure, I guess. At least, back when I didn't know what I was. It's nice, growing up and knowing they're there to go to if you hurt yourself, or if you just... have something you need answering. [Even though that was mostly Guy who did that... Still, Luke gives a faint smile.] Mother used to kiss whatever scrapes I had and told me there was no medicine more powerful than that. I didn't get it at first...

[He pauses, letting the smile fall away and the stalk fall away from his fingers.] But... I'm not their real son. They found that out not long ago, too...

[ she listens to the first part of his explanation in silence, just ... smiling a tiny smile. huh. Kissing your scrapes... is that what moms do? It sounds nice...

then, of course, he moves on, and her own smile fades. oh dear. after a quiet moment, she gets back to her feet and moves to stand beside him, letting him know she's there by letting their arms lightly touch. she watches him for a moment, expression somber, but ... ]

... what did they do?

[Luke glances at her, acknowledging that she's there... And leans to the side just a bit, to feel a little more of her against him. It's nice, having her there, knowing that she could understand...]

They... took some time to think about it. After that, it just... wasn't the same. Father got even more distant, and he... [Completely cut off contact with his friends, ordered him to only associate with royalty. But Luke isn't sure if that's the result of finding out he was a replica, it's just... something that upsets Luke to this day.]

Mother, though... She seemed to get over it pretty well. She even said I could come back home anytime I wanted to. [Which still marvels Luke - she knows he's a replica, a fake of her son... Yet she'd still welcome him with open arms?]

[ she leans right back against him, her eyes narrowing slightly in thought. her next words are musing, almost like she's talking to herself ]

Your mother... really said that to you? She sounds like a really good person... [ letting a Replica come home. gosh. Xion will reach for his hand, and interlace their fingers. ] ... it's nice, isn't it? To know there are people who care about us and accept us, even though... [ tilts her head back to give him a gentle, understanding smile, and squeezes his hand lightly. ]

Mmhmm. [To both his mother saying that and to the people accepting them. Luke squeezes her hand and looks down at her with that same smile. They both know what it's like, just how... amazing it is to be so warmly accepted and cared for. Not many people can understand what that's like... but they do.

... And for a moment, Luke's caught up like that. Xion's always looked very nice to Luke, but right now, with the way she's smiling at him, the way she's leaning against him and holding his hand, he just wants to...

Just acknowledging the thought breaks the spell, and he leans over to press his nose to her hair and let out a deep breath, hiding a furious blush. Did he just think- He can't do that!]

[ ... gosh. sudden Luke in her hair.

what was that all about? ]

[ oh well. she certainly doesn't mind. she makes a quiet, contented noise and shuts her eyes. with warmth ]

Hey.

[While she's trying to think of what that sudden move was about, Luke loosens his hold on her hand and brings his arms up to wrap them around her shoulders. He may still be recovering from dodging something very, very embarrassing, but... it's nice here. Just leaning against her and hiding in her hair.]

Hm?

[ she laughs, one arm resting on his chest while the other sneaks its way up, so she can gently card her fingers through his hair. ]

Nothing, really. I just like being close to you, is all.

[ ... notblushing. but it's true! she loves being held like this. it makes her feel safe. ]

... Heh heh.

[Aaah, that makes him blush even more. But he moves from his place in her hair to her shoulder, giving a big smile as he holds her a little closer.]

I like keeping you close, too. [...] That was really corny, wasn't it?

... yeah, it kinda was. [ laughs. ] That's not so bad, though. You know what's really corny?

[ she shifts a little in his embrace, so she can bring her arms back down and wrap them around his waist, content to lean her head against his shoulder and shut her eyes. ]

... I kinda wish we could stay like this forever.

[... Yeah okay, that makes him chuckle. That was dorky and corny. But... He still shifts his hold a bit, just to make it easier to rest his cheek against her hair, and shuts his eyes. It's pretty obvious he agrees with her, despite what he says.]

You win for corniest line, then.

See? [ she settles against him, sighing contentedly. ] I told you.

[ and you know, she really could stay here forever. there's something so utterly disarming about Luke. it's not just that he's warm and friendly and kind -- though all of those things are certainly important too. it's that he makes her feel 100% comfortable in her skin every moment he's with her. and that's not really an easy thing for her to feel ... being what she is, being what they are.

she spends a very happy few minutes there, pressed up against him. but she will finally -- reluctantly, but they can't really stay in this same spot forever, can they?? -- draw back slightly, smiling at him in a ... ha, kind of very obviously ... twitterpated way. again working up her vast reserves of courage!!, she'll kiss him on the nose, then slip away to go inspect his music box. ]

Hey, Luke, what's this?

[It's the same way for Luke - he feels like he could stay like that for as long as he can. Sometimes he feels nervous, sure, that's what comes with people who like each other, but... otherwise, he feels completely comfortable with her, and close like this with her. There's no one who made him feel so at ease with himself; no one.

Once she smiles at him... Aah, that smile makes a flush in his face appear, but he still smiles back, and it seems to match hers. And then she kisses his nose-

Kisses-

KISSES-

sdlkfaj. Luke blinks and, unfortunately, instinctively reaches up to wipe his nose, only to blink again, sigh and hang his head. Did he really just wipe away a kiss from Xion why did he do that ffff- BUT SHE STILL KISSED HIM.

He goes to her with a blush still on his cheeks, then smiles once he realizes what she's holding.]

That's a music box. You've never heard of one before? You're missing out!

[He gently takes the box from her, turns it to wind up the crank at the bottom, then set it back down as it plays this tune.]

[ ... did he do that. did he really do that? that was adorable. Xion'll giggle at the self-conscious way he rubbed at his nose, not really taking any offense. ]

I've heard of them! I've just never actually seen one before.

[ ........ ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh. gosh, it's really pretty! Xion smiles as soon as the song starts, enjoying the soft, crystalline quality of it. ]

... where did you get this, anyway?

[Luke sits down on the edge of the bed, a smile still on his face. It's always nice to hear it for himself, but it's even nicer to share it with someone like Xion.]

At the general shop. I was checking around there a couple of weeks after I got here and found it just sitting there. [He pauses, then scratches at his cheek a little as he thinks of the general way Luceti works.] Good thing I got it right then... I didn't realize stuff came and went until a week after that or so.

[ she takes a seat next to him, hands braced on the edge of the bed as she leans forward a little so keep looking at the music box. she's clearly quite taken with it. ]

... it comes and goes? [ huh. ] I never really thought about that. I don't think anything of mine has ever turned up there.

[Well. Since her hands are right there, Luke will just take the opportunity to cover one of hers with his own. It's... nice, knowing that she likes it as much as he does - he had reacted that same way the first time he played it in his room.]

The only thing of mine that showed up was my sword. [He tilts his head to the dresser drawers, where one sword rests against the side of it. On the other side of it, a few feet away from it and by the wall, are other swords, most of them quite fancy looking.] It's nothing special, though... I kind of wish more stuff of mine arrived.

[...] Do you want anything from your world?

[ should the music box stop playing, she will totally reach over and attempt to fiddle with it, unless he stops her and starts it again himself. |D just so that's clear. but she'll instinctively thread her fingers through his once he's laid his hand on top of hers.

she glances over at the sword he indicates, then look at the swords on the walls ... and smiles. she'll have to ask him about those sometime. but that is not this time! instead, she answers her question by shaking her head. her tone remains light -- it's clear this subject genuinely doesn't bother her, despite the content of her answer. ]

There's nothing to want. I didn't really have much of anything. We'd get in big, big trouble if we tried to bring back too many things from other worlds, so... the only stuff I ever brought home was sea shells. And I was able to find a few of those here... there wasn't a whole lot of stuff in the Castle, either. It was just ... a really empty place. [ small shrug. ]

[Oh, she can do what she wants with it - Luke just wanted to let her hear it play. |D He squeezes her hand as she talks to him, listening carefully... seashells, huh?

He looks down at Xion's hand beneath his own, absently running his thumb along the side of hers... And he pauses for a moment before he speaks up.]

You know there's an ocean here, right? [He glances up at her, almost shyly.] It's too cold right now, but... someday, I'll take you there.

[ ... what is it about those words? the way he's looking at her? she turns her head to look at him when he looks at her, and something about what he says and the look in his eyes just... arrests her.

"Someday, I'll take you there."

Suddenly, she wants powerfully to... she even leans forward a little, the tiniest bit, her breath catching...

--but then it strikes her what it is she wants to do, really, and she turns roughly the same shade as his hair before abruptly looking down. ]

I-- I knew... one of my friends has been working on the teleporter to go out there! I'd ... I'd really like that, actually. [ she smiles, but still does not look up, a little too embarrassed by what she's just done. ]

[Of course, Luke doesn't realize what she's doing, despite it being so similar to what happened to him a few minutes ago. So, when she turns absolutely red and looks down... Well, he just thinks she's touched by his offer. So, he lets his smile grow a little while he squeezes her hand gently.]

Then I promise. [And... this is kind of silly, so Luke brings his free hand across and hesitates... but then holds it out to her, pinkie finger out.]

I'll even pinkie swear on it.

[ ... is he really ...

she gives him such a smile, that so clearly says "you are a huge dork," and curls her free pinky around his.

she really kind of loves him. ]

Alright. Pinkie swear. Once it's warm!

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