fourteen | oo30 [ voice // action ]

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oo30 [ voice // action ]

( Sokka | Locked 100% )

... I need your help. And you can't tell anyone, okay?

( Aqua | Locked 100% )

Aqua... I know we haven't spoken that much, but I need to ask you a really, really big favor.

( Sanji | Locked 100% )

[ a long silence goes here. ] ... could I stay at your house tonight?

( Luke | Locked 100% )

I'd -- [ ... ] Can I see you?

[ Xion is out of the house today. Mostly because it's become almost impossible to stay there. She hasn't slept for more than a handful of hours since Vanitas attacked -- three days ago. She's so exhausted she can barely stay on her feet, but better awake and moving than a sitting target.

Who could sleep, knowing that at any minute someone stronger than you and your friends could break into your home and kill you whenever he wanted?

It's this question that drives her to address Luceti at large, once she's got herself settled on the railing of That One Bridge. Hey, it's like right next to her house and she wanted to sit on a bridge, so sue her. ]

( filtered AWAY from Vanitas and Saix | Locked 100% )

What would you do if you didn't feel safe in your own home anymore?

[ and this is to say nothing -- not a damn thing -- of how she feels about Roxas right now. He had no excuse -- what defense could you give? -- and Axel almost died -- for what? Why? Why had any of this happened? Does she blame Roxas, for extending the invitation, or Vanitas, for taking it? Even if she had something to say to him, she couldn't -- he hasn't been home in days.

It's a very numb Poppet that's sitting on that there railing, swinging her legs and staring at the water below. Please interrupt her thoughts -- for they are very grim ones. ]

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[ she actually starts to say the word out loud -- "we?" -- before it sinks in what he means.

and then she is silent, for a moment.

next thing she knows, she's fighting off the urge to cry, but that's neither here nor there. here, Jale, have a smile. ]

... together, right? ... thanks, Jale.

... okay. Should I come by, and we'll pick one out together?

... yeah, sure. You can tell me what the keyblade should look like too.

[Sanji approves of this decision. It gives her something else to do while the bread is rising in the oven. Melt chocolate and butter together, first, then stir in sugar and water to make the glaze. The bananas will come later, once the croissants come out]

Looks like I'm making a dessert, then.

[ that shuts her up, at least for a moment. it's true -- she knows if positions were reversed she'd be aching to help her friends out. ]

... I can tell you what he looks like, and what his name is. You could keep an eye out for him... [ it's something of a peace offering. and it would be good to have another set of eyes and ears out there keeping track of Vanitas... ]

Um... thank you, though. I really do appreciate it.

[ rests her chin on her knees, looking fairly contented. ]

Hey, there's never a wrong time for a dessert.

[ that gets a quiet laugh ] We have the magic... he was just so badly hurt it's kind of been a slow process. Thank you, though. ... what's your name?

Uh, yeah, sure. Glad to help... [Here, Xion, have a long, embarrassed silence.]

... Want me to take a guard shift or something?

It's Squall.

[That one sentence causes a surge of pain and memories he wishes he didn't have within him... he knows just how that feels, far too well. And he knows how powerless it makes you feel and how frightened, even if he doesn't know the exact circumstances that caused it.]

... you continue living as best you can.

Just don't let that shitty captain of mine know. Or I'll lose whatever moment's peace I can take.

[She won't mention how quiet the house has been lately, so much that she doesn't need to worry about Luffy bothering her. The natural enthusiasm that accompanies the meals in House 6 has been sucked dry. But it's nice, yes? To pretend a little]

Will Xion-chan want some once it's finished?

[ ... if she knew ... she'd feel pretty bad. but Richard's response is different from the others ... it's not do this, or do that. it's ... how to keep living. and that's the real question she's had trouble with. there's just this sense of invasion and violation when someone attacks you in your own home ... the one place where you're supposed to always be safe. ]

... it's been hard, these past few days. I've barely even slept... I keep wondering if he'll come back to finish the job.

Oh. I see.

[She doesn't know what to say to that. It's a little familiar, but she's never gotten beyond the running part before.]

And there's no way to make him just back down?

It's always hard at first. That fear never really goes away, but you can learn how to manage it and keep looking forward.

[That was all he could do, after all-- all anyone in such a situation can do.]

[ the corner of her mouth quirks up, and she doesn't respond to that part. she knows from pretending, especially right now. ]

Of course. How could I pass up something Sanji made? [ she's probably been eating as little as she's sleeping -- she could use the food. the dark circles under her eyes and the pronounced paleness of her skin speak to how poorly she's been taking care of herself, anyway. ]

[Naoki sees her where she's sitting from a distance and makes his way nearer, slowing as he approaches. His footfalls are loud in the crunching snow--so much for stealth. Not like he'd been trying to be stealthy anyway. He breathes out a misty breath when he finally takes a step on to the bridge, hands buried in his pockets.]

[Anyone else who caught him with that smile, sad and wistful and hopeful, might have asked what he was thinking about, only to call him an idiot for not seeing the people around him who care. But he does, he does, it's just... they don't get it. They really don't.

But looking down at Xion and seeing that smile that looked so much like his, hearing her agree...

She gets it.

He has to stare for a moment, because the only other person who could understand him back in his world was Ion, but they were all so busy saving the world that they never really had a chance to just... sit down and talk about it. He loves his friends so much, but sometimes they just...

Once his thoughts have a chance to work themselves out, he leans in to initiate the hug this time. There really were a lot of people offering to help... He's sure Xion will be okay, with that many people who care.]

I know this Vanitas guy is dangerous... But you don't have to handle it all yourself. Even if you feel like you should.

[Sanji notices. Sweets aren't exactly the picture of a balanced meal, but anything will do when you're hungry and need a bit of nutrition.

Out come the croissants ~~far earlier than they should but wtfever THIS IS LUCETI~~. Each gets sliced in half, the long way, and now it's time to drizzle the chocolate mixture in between. Then after that, the bananas are nestled on top of the chocolate. On goes the top half the croissants, drizzled with the last of the glaze, and voila.]

Here you are, Xion-chan~! [She sets a plate in front of the girl]

[ that's someone she's grateful to see. she can't help but smile at him as he approaches -- he's one of the few who'll get such a thing out of her. ]

Naoki... hey.

... his name is Vanitas. The one who -- he attacked my best friend and almost killed him. I walked into the house and saw it...

[ she has to suppress a shiver. the memory is still vivid, burned against her eyelids. ]

We're trying to figure out a way to hide, and make the house safe again... I think we might have a way.

Hey.

[He smiles in return, steps closer and at last pauses, leaning against the railing and resting his arms over them, hands dangling.] What's on your mind?

[ ... devours.

SORRY, IT'S NOT VERY LADYLIKE, but the smell of the food reminds her how hungry she is, and she just goes to town. it's really good, too -- though she'll wait till her mouth isn't full to tell Sanji that. ]

Is your friend all right?

[Although she can't see it, there's a sympathetic flinch on his end. There are certain images he'll never be able to erase from his mind either, as much as he might like to.]

[You're talking to a woman who smokes and cusses hard enough to make Satan blush when she's pissed.

GO TO TOWN, HONEY. 8|b]

... I think so ... I'm not sure what to think. My best friend isn't weak, but he still almost died... but there's this other kid I know, Ven, and he fought Vanitas and won... Either way, I'm not sure it's worth the risk of finding out.

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