fourteen | oo52 [action / video]

[ Since her "return," Xion has been staying in temporary New Feather accommodations as she gets her bearings. She's had a lot on her mind... a lot of thoughts and fears. She goes to sleep the night of the 19th thinking everything will be the same tomorrow... and the next day, and the day after that. Whatever she was before... this is her life now.

Of course, that's not the case when she wakes up. Which she does with a yelp when she discovers her clothing is too small and pulls in all the wrong places. And her hair is longer, and-- and-- ]

Oh, no. Oh, my gosh--

[ That's all her journal, conveniently open as ever, catches before she slams it shut and races off toward home. Toward Luke.

Once she's met up with him and apologized until she was blue in the face and possibly cried a little, she takes off to Seventh Heaven. There is a certain chef she needs to see and hug and hug and hug until they both feel better.

Finally, once all that is done, she takes to the journals once more. ]

... I can't believe what just happened to me. I know I'm not the first one, but... it was so strange. Being young all over again... not having any memories of this place. They're such precious memories to me... and I think I realized something. I know how a lot of people here feel about Luceti, and the Malnosso, and the war...

But I'm grateful for this place. [ Gently. ] It's given me everything I could never have.... everything important and wonderful to me is here. Well... almost everything. [ Oh, Axel. ] But... I never want to leave. I never, ever want to go home. Not when everything important is here...

I'm glad. I'm glad I'm still here. I'm -- I'm sorry if that makes anyone angry to hear. I know it probably sounds really strange... [ She smiles, warm and sad at once. ] But this is my world now.

[ She ends the broadcast there... or seems to. In fact, she's got a number of messages to get out. ]

( Suki | 100% )

Hey, Suki... I don't think you remember me, but my name is Xion. I need to talk to you... about the Kyoshi warriors.

( Luke Skywalker | 100% )

... hi, Luke. I remember everything now. Thank you for being so kind to me. I could... probably clear some things up now, if you still wanted to know.

( Wreck-It Ralph | 100% )

I'd -- really like to talk to you. I think... I have something really important that I should tell you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[And, again, he just stares, though he ends up slowly pushing himself up on his forearms. It's...

It's really her, isn't it? She's older. Her hair is longer, the clothes she's wearing are ones he knows were still in her closet, she's not as small, and... and her eyes, blue as the far seas, are filled with tears and he knows why.

It's why his own eyes well up while his jaw tenses, and he finally looks away to lower his head. The last time she came back to him after a long absence, he'd thrown his arms around her and held her close and grinned until he felt like his face split.

Now, though, he leans around until he can press his forehead against the crook of Xion's neck, and his hand holds tightly to her shoulder.

Luke's missed her so much, and needed her. Still needs her.]

[ Her last return had been full of joy and warmth. This one is painful, wrenching, full of the wrong kind of tears and an undercurrent of great sorrow.

She knows why. Last time, she'd been on a mission. Something she'd been able to give him warning of. But this time... this time she'd been kidnapped. Experimented on. And ultimately returned a little broken. And he'd suffered for it. She knows he did.... if it wasn't obvious from the way he's holding her now, from the way hurt she now sees glaringly obvious in her memories.... she'd know it from the way she felt when the exact same thing happened to him.

So she wraps her arms around him just as tightly and does not let go, whispering in his ear over and over again that she's sorry. So, so, so sorry. ]

[He wants to say no, don't apologize, you don't have anything to be sorry for, but his throat is clogged, and he knows that if he tries to speak, it'll utterly betray him. So, Luke just keeps his eyes squeezed shut while he listens, swallowing thickly, trying to pull himself together.

God, but he's been trying to keep it together for so long now.

Finally, though, he shakes his head as much as he can, his fingers curling into her shirt.]

Don't - Don't say that, it's not your fault, it's not.

[And yes, his voice does sound heavy, and it wavers, but at least he can talk.]

I know it's not. [ Her voice is barely above a murmur, and charged with emotion. ] But I still put you through so much... you must have been so scared. That time... when you came back with your long hair, acting like that... I thought the same thing had happened to you. It was terrifying.

[ She lifts her head to lean it against his. ] I really hate what the Malnosso do, sometimes...

I do too. [He presses his face against her shoulder again and just leans close; he wants to be closer, to wrap his arms around her and hold her, kiss her, touch her and make sure she's real, but he is in the most awkward position, still holding himself up with one arm and holding her tight with the other, still half sitting and half lying down on the couch.

He settles for this, even though he wants more. This is enough, he can feel her all the same just like this.]

I... Could you stay here for a while? I know you need to see other people, but - I...

Yeah. [ She lifts a hand to stroke his hair. ] I can stay.

[ Without much further ado, she'll break his grip -- and climb onto the couch with him. There isn't much room, but she rather likes it that way, laying half on top of him, intertwined, as she stretches out one arm to wrap around his chest and pull him down with her.

She owes him this much. And has no plans to see anyone else just yet for precisely this reason.

Because he needs her. And she needs him, too... ]

Edited 2012-11-28 10:46 (UTC)

[And he moves with her, hands still touching her even as she breaks his grip and shifts, until he can shut his eyes and press his mouth to the junction between her neck and shoulder. Finally, he's in a position to wrap both his arms around her, and while it's so cramped that it's slightly uncomfortable, he rather likes it that way. It's like she's all around him and intertwined, and - after everything... he needs something like this.]

Mmf - [Right, his mouth's covered. With just a little movement, Luke moves his head down, enough to press his forehead against the spot instead.] When... When you got back, and you didn't remember anything or... I thought -

[I thought I lost you.]

I know. [ Her voice is faint. ] ... I thought the same thing about you, once, too.

But we're both still here... and I love you so much. [ She tilts her head up so she can press a kiss to his jaw. ]

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