2019 CMO

[yeahtotally]

✿ Other characters available here. Inactive are special request for long time RP partners only.
✿ Canon/CRAU options are available for Roxas (Forest Covered, The Far Shore, Route 29, Recolle, Awash, Deerington, Asgard), Pidge Gunderson (The Far Shore, Deerington), Cloud (Aefenglom)
✿ Gen threads are A-Okay in here, it's not just for shipping!
✿ Smut can be posted here, BUT MUST BE ACCORDINGLY MARKED IN SUBJECT LINE
✿ Crit is welcome since some of these characters are being voice tested.
✿ Specific prompt you want to do? Hit me up at chromatus, discord chromatus#1363, pm this journal, or choose below!
✿ ACTION BRACKETS PREFERRED. Prose will take longer to reply to.

Fave Prompts
☀ Soulmates	☀ Modern AU	☀ Canon	☀ Canon AU
☀ Monster/Cryptids	☀ High Fantasy	☀ Pokemon	☀ Fairy Tale
☀ Other Series AU	☀ Other Ideas here!

Comments

[missingache]

[Checker pattern will always be somewhere no matter that this small blond wore. A goow way to reflect dark and light in a way everyone could understand. And no one ever said Roxas had any fashion sense. As long as the clothes could be fought in, what does it matter what he wears?]

I can ask her later. When the others aren't around.

[Mostly so that no one would jump down his throat for even getting anywhere near Xemnas and entertaining the thought of assisting a former enemy. Getting memories back was important-

Roxas blinked a few times as his gaze moved down to the ground. Thinking about it really thoroughly now made tears threaten to sting at his eyes. If Xemnas regained everything he needed just to understand his heart, that might mean this strange connection could change. What if it wasn't Roxas in the end that the draw was for? What if he was just a substitute? For Ventus. That had to be it. Ventus had been around when Terra was turned. It had to be that. Had to be him.

Swallowing these dark thoughts down, Roxas forces a smile as he looked up at Xemnas. At least he didn't feel the need to cry anymore as he controlled his breathing.]

I think Marluxia is the only one she wouldn't want to meet with again, and me being there should make it easier if she agrees.

[totalistic]

Certainly, this is a valid point as well.

(Satisfied with Roxas' reply, Xemnas was already entertaining the prospect of meeting with the witch in the chamber housing crystal pods. The restoration of his memories might take longer than expected, though it was highly unlikely that any slowness in the process would be due to "leaked memories" gaining sentience through one of his past experiments.)

The circumstances warrant caution.

(Never had his sense of kinship been more evident than when he was in the company of Roxas, the bond too deep for formal titles. Nothing was more enduring than true connection -- both spiritual and emotional -- and theirs would be no exception to that. Nobodies expressed their emotions in a much more physical representation that was easier to relate to, so unconsciously the Superior wanted to prove that.

But then something was off with Roxas' face. His smile looked forced, far from genuine. Subtle shifts in facial expressions were never lost on him. As he exalted his capacity for attentiveness, Xemnas would never have guessed how little the boy thought of himself. Even as he and Ventus shared uncanny similarities, using him as a substitute was the furthest thing on his mind. It was true that once separated from the heart, the body looked for a burgeoning replacement every chance it got. The same couldn't be said for what was contained therein. That explained why Terra sought after Ventus rather than a Ventus-copy. As far as he was concerned, Xemnas had no interest in being drawn to anyone that wasn't . . . Roxas. Possibly their unbreakable connection accounted for it. A pity that he didn't vocalize it.)

So that leaves us with some spare time on our hands.

(He took barely a moment to decide, the only shift of thought a brief gleam in his golden eyes, and Xemnas bridged the gap between them. Though he gathered that such proximity was overwhelming for both of them, he also meant it to be . . . comforting, everything from the soft touch to Roxas' cheek to the gentle caress of his thumb across his cheek.)

What would you like to do?

[missingache]

[Xemnas might not want to call Namine a witch around Roxas. He would take offense for the girl, no matter what his feelings may be for his former Superior. Roxas had a temper, one he wouldn't deny, especially when it came to people he cared for.]

She's good at keeping quiet if you're worried about her talking.

[The smile faltered when Xemnas moved close. More out of curiosity of what would come next than fear. Would he ever get used to this closeness without reacting? Roxas couldn't help but lean into the caress as he thought of what they could do.]

We could... go inside? Or I could sneak into town and get some ice cream. Unless you think it's too cold. [Ice cream could be eaten all year in his opinion.] I could get something warm instead. Like hot chocolate or coffee.

[Adults like coffee. Roxas didn't mind it, drinking it black much to his friends surprise. The bitterness wasn't as bad as his friends claimed, but then again, this is the guy who loves sea salt ice cream.]

[totalistic]

(As long as Ansem the Wise didn't catch word of what was occurring, Xemnas wouldn't mind having Roxas and his friends involved with the process. Partly because it was impossible to keep his return under deep concealment for much longer. And a protective part of him didn't want them to ostracize his soulmate. Having known nothing but loneliness at the time of his death, the Superior couldn't wish it for him.)

I suppose coffee would do us a world of good, now. Let us fetch some.

(There it was again -- the odd feeling that came along with the tilt of his head into the soft caress for the briefest moment -- like they should be acclimating themselves to intimacy for them to elevate their beings to a higher plane of existence. But neither that compulsion nor the aching emptiness inside his heart accounted for why Xemnas had always felt such a strong, emotional connection to Roxas, drawn to him time and time again, despite his better judgment.

Small moments made for heightened intimacy, and it sent electric jolts straight to his newfound heart, a feeling he savoured. Affection and yet so much deeper than that. A feeling he'd been missing for so long. Whether the draw for Roxas was genuine or fabricated was left unanswered. For now. As it was, Xemnas furthered his gentle caress -- the barest motion -- the palm of his hand cupping a soft jaw as fingers scratched along the back of his neck, tenderly so, and his thumb brushed over his cheek before shifting. His face was the picture of longing as Xemnas stroked the fullness of the Nobody's lower lip, smearing warmth across pink, luscious skin.)

Lead the way.

[missingache]

[If his friends were involved, it might in the end make Roxas feel even better about all of this. If he figured out how to explain it to them, who knows what may come of it.]

Okay!

[Roxas thought briefly about the Bistro. Mainly because it had been some time since he'd been there, and Xemnas might be hungry. Not that he thinks the other man would say anything about it. He kind of wished Xemnas would voice his wants more just so he wouldn't need to guess at them. Maybe with time.

A blush rolled slowly onto his cheeks when the caress turns into something more intimate. Stomach felt like there were a ton of butterflies in it, mouth turning dry, a hot jolt going up his spine. Roxas' eyes locked onto Xemnas' expression, bright with curiosity and just a hint of something darker. His tongue darted out enough to run across his lip to pick up any possible taste left behind. He didn't disapprove of the action. There was some disappointment nothing else occurred, but Roxas could wait.]

The hole in the wall is gone, but I know the way through the tunnel.

[totalistic]

("Just let me adore you."

His golden eyes implied everything, and alluded to nothing -- except, perhaps, the desire to relocate the two of them to a more appropriate environment. Xemnas was just as overwhelmed, just as frustrated, warmth flushing his skin all over, a jolt of pleasure coursing through him at the licking motion, at the way his tongue laved across the mark left by the passage of his fingers. He was yearning, almost desperate for more of this, yet at the same time, he'd rather let things take their natural course.)

All right, then. (As they made their way through the necklace of tunnels, which fortunately no longer stank, Xemnas admittedly felt relieved to walk alongside his soulmate. While he had yet to encounter any past acquaintances, he was content that no Heartless had manifested so far. It took a little more than a couple of minutes at a normal walking pace, still hand-in-hand, before they stepped out of the tunnel and into The Neigborhood, home to a bistro owned by money-hungry Scrooge Mcduck and operated by Remy.

The bistro was for anyone who valued great food, simply prepared. With its checkered tablecloths, chalkboard menus brandishing the plats du jour, emblematic wooden chairs, and an endless supply of crusty baguettes, the gastronomic bistro had firmly established itself as a culinary institution.

A magnanimous waitress, Olette's age to be exact, welcomed them warmly to the restaurant and said they could take a seat anywhere. Xemnas chose a booth by the window, a place where they would be a bit more comfortable and secluded. Once they were seated, she gave them the menu, with Xemnas choosing off a la carte after Roxas took his pick. While waiting for their orders to be served, Xemnas adoringly gazed at him. For a flicker of a moment, especially when he took his hand into his, the image of Sora superseded Roxas' . . . before softening into more familiar lines, much to his relief.

"Yes, I know that you're not him but you were his'
You know what it means to love him
So heartbreaking, how you remind me so much of him.)

I'm benefitting immensely from having you as a guide through the city.

[missingache]

[Letting things take their course would be for the best since Roxas would have no idea what should be done about half of what he feels. He just at this time knew that it wouldn't be unpleasant to feel that way again in the future.

Not many would be around in this world that Xemnas would know. Most of the past Org members were quite content to be back in Radiant Garden, which suited Roxas just fine. Isa and Lea would be busy this time of day being adults and all. There would be little risk of running into those two. Unless Lea was skipping work.

The bistro made him a little nervous being there with Xemnas. He really tried to remain calm and not freak out over being in a nice restaurant. With his soulmate. Just the two of them. Roxas had nearly jumped out of his skin when the waitress had come to take their orders. How Xemnas remained calm, and with such a warm expression, was beyond the former Nobody.]

Huh? Really? [He rubbed his cheek a bit in embarrassment. A habit picked up from Sora. Or maybe Ventus? One of them.] This is just the part of town by the mansion. There's the clocktower, and the train station, and another entire part of town. I could show you around more when we know how everyone will feel about you being here.

[The hand being held squeezed Xemnas' as Roxas looked down at the table.]

I love this town. But I do want to see other places now that I have my own body. Maybe.... we could do that together? After you get your memories back?

[Revisiting places he'd been before, or just seen through Sora's eyes. Find places that were new. Anything would be fair game.]

[totalistic]

This town has its character, I must say.

(There were many worlds in the Realm of Light where Xemnas might happen upon former followers of Organization XIII. One in particular, he recalled -- Radiant Garden. On the off chance that he ran into one of them, Xemnas had already devised something of a contigency plan. Like in a game of chess, the Superior made it a point to be one step ahead at every turn.

While kind of disappointing to a few, it was a comfort that parts of him stayed the same.

No matter how often the comfortable rug of his old habits was yanked from under his feet, the impress of his individuality remained distinct and clear.

It just soothed him, the squeezing of hands. It was a sudden impulse and he chose not to question it. Whatever the subconscious reasoning that motivated him to reach out, to make some kind of contact, the Superior didn't examine it too closely. Reserve was elbowed to the sidelines by spontaneity. The way Roxas rubbed his cheek sparked a memory. A flash of Ventus, grinning, cheeks streaked with red. It was there and gone in the space of an exhale, but he knew it didn't belong to him. His heart went numb with ruefulness at the realization that he stole it from Terra -- envied him. All the same the Nobody treasured it, in the hopes that one day, he and Roxas would create their own special moments.

The entire time Xemnas was listening to him, raptly so, the Superior was moved by his passion. Roxas set his sights on larger horizons; perhaps he'd seen them through the eyes of Sora. Perhaps not. For all that, his infatuation for travel was infectious. )

No need. Do not let my condition have an effect on your travel planning.

(Leaning down, his lips were mere inches from Roxas', a breath away from a kiss.)

The potentiality in creating new memories with you lessens my suffering.

(The soft brush of his thumb along the checkered band around his finger was meant to be soothing. One of the perks to Roxas having his own body was to hug him, to inhale his seasalt scent, and maybe, just maybe, kiss him.)

[missingache]

At least we're lucky and don't get buried in snow here.

[Hopefully. Roxas didn't remember snow in his many visits back when he'd been a Nobody.

Small gestures were more comfortable for him. There was no urge to hug everyone he knew, nor the need to be overly affectionate. Roxas differed greatly from Sora when it came to that. More reserved than both the hearts he took pieces from, he was not one for public displays unless they were small. With time he might be bolder.]

Yeah, but-[Roxas stopped his reply with Xemnas suddenly so close. There was a hot rush that made his skin prickle, cheeks turning a rather deep red. His eyes fluttered from Xemnas' eyes, to those lips that were rather close, before his gaze darted to their surroundings. Ears were perked up to catch any hint of someone making a comment. Even if they weren't, this was making him feel dizzy. The soothing touch did nothing to alleviate his nerves.

While he didn't move, despite his brain screaming at him to, Roxas fought himself to maintain some semblance of calm in his voice.] Camera. We could get a camera. To take pictures so we don't lose any memories.

[The sentence is rushed as he tried to focus his sight on anything but the man in front of him. The bistro was becoming way too hot for his liking, or that might just be him.]

[totalistic]

(As Roxas told him about the camera, Xemnas let his smitten gaze flutter down to crimsom-streaked cheeks. In the averted eyes of the boy he read pure, distilled embarrassment. Not only that, but the stress that came with being watched like a potent magnet for stares, slurs and worse. Maybe he was fretting over receiving hostile stares from local of any sexual persuasion for tactile displays of affection. As if on cue, he felt the weight of the conversation press down on them. For a moment, he was at a loss of how to interpret it. Still, Roxas trusted him. Again, with the same openness that eased a smirk onto his lips. What befell others seldom if ever roused his sympathy. For all Xemnas knew, nothing counted now but Roxas. The world might as well cease to exist.

Then calmly, Xemnas interrupted him.)

I value secrecy first and foremost.

(His words were hushed, barely a whisper. The key to tuning sensory overload out was to remember that it was transient, never made to last. No matter how much it made him hotter, dizzier, one way or the other, it'd just stop. Except that being overtly affectionate in the face of judgmental individuals didn't help either. Yet, he was facing it with dignity, not accusing the older man of trampling on his boundaries, of forcing him into a position he disliked. Which, of course, impressed Xemnas to no end. Of course, he was good at adapting to both changes and challenges. At some point, they'd have to discuss tresholds and boundaries tough. But Xemnas didn't want that point to be now. Uncaring of the other locals, the Superior rose their joined hands to his lips and brushed them against Roxas' knuckles.)

But you're worth making an exception for.

(Photographs were conduit to memories, pictures of intimacy at a standstill.  They seemed to reconnect the past and the present, like time machines on repeat. The longer the idea sank in, the more compelling it sounded. Xemnas, seeing the waitress on her way over to their table, with a tray of food on each arm, requested she not come any closer with a raised hand. So long as Roxas felt on edge, nerve endings rubbed raw with tension, Xemnas demanded more privacy.)

What shoud we commit to memory first?

[missingache]

[Looking finally at Xemnas, Roxas felt his heart sink. Pictures were something precious to him. They let him know something actually happened, and he didn't have to doubt himself and his memory. Losing memories again was a scary thought.

His heart didn't have to sink long before it leaped up again. Lips against skin left him shivering, a smile slowly appearing on his own.]

I'd like to commemorate this-[His eyes went wide. Why hadn't he thought of that before he thought of a camera? His free hand went to a pocket to pull out a device.]

This! It has a camera on it. Not as good a quality as a real one, but they're still pictures.

[Roxas held it up for Xemnas to see.] It's a gummiphone. I can call and text my friends with it, no matter what world I'm in. We could take a selfie right now with it.

Merry Christmas! :)

[totalistic]

(What better way to keep in touch with their memories than with the latest invention of Chip and Dale? Out of the fragmented preserved souvenirs, and stories built around them, Nobodies became what they'd always been -- more than soulless duplicates mimicking who they'd once been; individuals with aspirations and needs, with the same right to thrive as Somebodies did.

Seeing Roxas so excited to commemorate their first romantic moment stirred up something of genuine amusement.)

Your eagerness is quite infectious.

(Such a device aligned well with intellectual curiosity, as it allowed communication across different worlds. Its invention was certainly a revolutionary innovation -- a breakthrough from conventional phones. A cursory glance revealed that it'd been designed for easier use. All the better. As the Superior hitched his chair closer to Roxas', his free fingers closed with a loving grasp upon the other's shoulder. Gently, the older man tugged on it to nestle his head against his torso -- a needless gesture, but he was finding he desired more touch now.

More sensations, more connection, more open-heartedness. The interlock of fingers suggested as much.)

I'm ready now, Roxas.

Merry Christmas to you, too! :3

[missingache]

[Roxas shot a smile at Xemnas with that comment. Excitement would be an understatement when it came to being able to take a picture right at that very moment.

The camera mode is engaged and with a quick flick on the screen, their faces appeared on it instead of the restaurant wall. There was some temptation for a filter, but Xemnas could be introduced to those another time. Roxas already decided that this picture would not be one he would show to his friends with how flustered he looked despite the smile. They were closer than before, and Roxas was just marveling at how warm the other man was when he's prompted to take the picture.]

Okay. Then smile!

[A soft clicking noise could be heard over the din in the room as the image becomes preserved in the device. He tapped a little icon on the bottom to pull the picture back up for viewing. No need to move from his comfortable position just yet.]

Our first picture...

<3

[totalistic]

(Even as there was no outward mention of that claim, Xemnas would need proper introduction to the flurry of Gumni filters. Aimed at users who perceived them as social props, or social requirements, they'd need to come with guidelines unless Roxas was thorough in his explanations. The digitization was a tactical way of preservation and it became an ultimate need to preserve and conserve a record for future. Now, with the Gumniphone designed to provide wonderful memories to look back on, any lingering worries he might have about losing them were all but dispelled. With gentleness, Xemnas nudged his forehead down against Roxas', eyes swept closed in something akin to trust. Trust didn't come easily to him, but the boy was worth the effort.)

The first of many to come . . .

(Their romantic moment was immortilized with their first picture: Roxas' smiling visage nestled in the warmth of him, hot and flustered from the constant proximity, so petite yet so devastingly gorgeous. By contrast, Xemnas' imposing posture was that of uniformity and composure, the only sign of outward emotion being the loving grasp on Roxas' shoulder. The camera didn't so much as clink on the table when the Nobody set it down lightly, discretly gesturing for the waitress to put their orders down within their reach. Mushroom Terrine, Coffee and Roxas' food.)

However much I learn about hearts, there is more to learn than meets the eye. They're extremely breakable, yet so resilient when joined with another of their kind. It seems that ours have . . . joined.

(Gently, with his head slightly canted to the side, Xemnas eased in closer to kiss him; softly, tenderly, yet his arousal was clear as glass. He deepened it, his tongue doing all the exploring, slipping into Roxas' mouth to taste and lick, turning the kiss into almost a devouring need to commit every inch of the Nobody' extremely slim and toned shape to memory and the way their lips felt against each other. Like they were living one true kind of love. The answer to all the torments of his heart.)

[missingache]

[Filters could be explained in time. Xion would likely be a better person to explain them since she had become more fond of them than Roxas, but Roxas had a few he liked. Which mainly included silly animal ears. Cat ears and whiskers could be cute or hilarious in his mind.

He felt a different kind of warmth when their foreheads rested together. All the heat of earlier was now much more gentle and comforting. There was temptation to reach up to touch Xemnas' hair, but Roxas would refrain for now. Even if his fingers twitched with the thought of how soft those locks could be. They felt silky against his cheeks where they brushed. Focusing on what was in front of him, the blond took in everything he could, wanting to memorize how Xemnas looked. As if at any moment this could be taken away.]

Joined?

[There would be more prompting for that. He wanted to ask more. It was just more than a bit hard to ask when he suddenly felt lips against his. At first, he froze for a few seconds till his brain decided that maybe instincts in this case should take over. The kiss he returned was unsure, even more so when the tongue slipped past his lips. He stopped caring about how sloppy and unrefined he might be compared to the older man. Pressing his tongue against Xemnas' curiously, his felt his stomach jolt, and the heat from earlier came back full blast.

This all felt perfect and nice. Roxas felt himself getting dizzier and dizzier as the kiss went on. It was at that time his brain kicked back on and he broke the kiss to take a gulp of air. He let out a soft noise and went a bit limp as he fought to catch his breath. How did people in movies do this for long periods of time without passing out? He just wanted to keep feeling nice, even if it meant fighting some unfamiliar urges since they were in public.]

S... Sorry... dizzy...

[totalistic]

(This was an earth-shattering kind of experience for Xemnas, to say the least, and the Superior was excited by the exquisite reactions he coaxed from his willing partner; by the tentative way Roxas' tongue followed the motion of his, equal parts unsure and erotic, no less purposeful if nothing else, the cloying touch it provided not quite enough. Never enough. Exhaling the softest sigh when Roxas broke away, he felt the world spin into a dizzying dive, and that was how he knew that sensory overload was catching up to them. Almost like gravity was pulling on them with its angry mitts despite Xemnas having no sense of height before the kissing. There was an unmistakable hint of amusement at the other boy's blatant dizziness, paired with a teasing smirk on his devilishly handsome face.

What with the thoughts that had occupied his mind off and on during the snowy afternoon, the close contact of the boy's sinfully young body close to his took his breath away and sent bold imaginings flashing through his eyes. It was with the utmost difficulty that he restrained a mad desire to crush Roxas to him and stifle his face with open kisses, even to the point of passing out.)

No harm's done. Legend has it that first kisses offer insight into the future of two hearts.

(Again, even amid this enjoyment and great kissing, Xemnas was forced to ask himself whether they were truly bonded for all eternity. Organization XIII was the turning point of Roxas' entire life. The World That Never Was was where his freshest, deepest traumas hailed from. At one point, they'd come to the surface and test their bond. Xemnas could tell that from personal observations. But with time, they'd add more memories -- better memories -- starting with that loving picture.

Out of nowhere, snapshots of memories came unbidden. There were pillars of crystalline cubes floating in the air, sky and more sky, an aqueous soil extending to infinity; Sora halting his run as he encountered the heart of the Superior.

"Keep believing and don't lose hope! He'll come for you!")

(Xemnas seemed a little troubled by it, but mostly by the inevitability of withholding that tidbit of information from Roxas. It wasn't beyond him to do such things, though, in his experience, the Superior usually did so to manipulate others to do his bidding. The Nobody's expression shifted minutely upon the flash of memory, barely perceptible to the untrained eye, yet real all the same. For all that, Xemnas bid him eat his plate with the gentlest squeeze on his shoulder.)

Let's take a bite, and then you can tell me what it tastes like.

[missingache]

[Insight? Roxas let that swirl around in his mind for a moment. If that was true, then the two of them would have a rather whirlwind future. Not that he minded that. It was better than being complacent, boring, nothing happening for days. If it was a nice mix of simplicity and heated days of wanting to do everything they could to be close, he could be very happy. Truly bonded or not, he would not trade any time with Xemnas even for the most precious things in any world.]

So you're going to leave me breathless and dizzy a lot. Got it.

[That was said with a smile as he bid himself to finally sit up. It was a shame he couldn't just keep leaning against Xemnas like this. Though he had to consider eating, and with the heat in his stomach dying down, it was replaced with hunger.

Now he just had to figure out when the food showed up. When he had been so raptly paying attention to nothing but Xemnas? He'd make sure to leave a good tip for the waitress if she was embarrassed by what they were doing. Roxas saw a flash of something he couldn't place in the others eyes and mentally told himself he needed to become better at reading what Xemnas was feeling. If there was pain, he wanted to know how to ease it if it couldn't be fully gotten rid of. For now he would have to remain in the dark and go back to focusing on this moment. The future could wait.

Having ordered pumpkin velouté for himself, the blond pulled the bowl of the rather orange soup closer. Soup seemed like a good idea for a cold day.]

Have you ever had pumpkin? I had pumpkin pie a while ago, but I didn't know it could be soup, too. [Spoon in hand, he tried it, staying quiet for a moment.] It's creamy! And kind of sweet, but not too sweet. It has just enough salt in it. [What did the taste remind him of...] It's kind of like a warm day in fall. Does that make sense?

[totalistic]

(Anything was better than complacency. Under any other circumstances, it would have been charming -- appropriate, even.)

I had some once. It was fresh, velvety-smooth, full of flavour. Very autumnal, indeed.

(That was cliché, the earnest attempt at small talk from the Superior. Even so, the other Nobody might read genuine openness in his account of his experience with the most staple food in fall.)

Your depiction strikes me as accurate.

(Lightheartedness filled his tone, rarer a commodity among his kind than even the earnest joy with which he replied to the young Nobody. Food always brought him back to his days in Radiant Garden. When Ansem the Wise had taken him in, nursed him back to health in the basement of his castle, conducted experiments on his heart and the darkness within; probed his memories as one would a rotten tooth, and his soothing voice would shake off the worst of his fears until sleep took him in the laboratory.

It felt odd to remember it now. By way of apology, he amended his first moment of absent-mindedness with a soft-voiced compliment.)

(But he was certain, now, that their joining of hearts was just beginning. Because Roxas' voice carried such passion, what was scarred became soft once more, healed even. What he felt was better than a transitory satisfaction for the 'hungry ghost' soul. For all he really knew, what Roxas wanted and what Xemnas craved weren't two different animals altogether, but part of him wanted to take that further into the realm of physicality, where bodies and souls merged into one. He shivered from head to toe, breathing in, missing his touch. Had begun to crave it like an addict going through withdrawal.

Perish the thought.

With no more preamble than painstakingly digging his fork into the small end of a mushroom then raising it to his mouth, Xemnas carefully swallowed it down. He hadn't bothered to let his food cool down, his movements practised but lacking in spontaneity. Though he displayed some belated discomfort at the heat for about a minute before becoming accustomed to the hot temperature, however, his pleased smile remained. )

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

[missingache]

Really? [There's a fuzzy feeling in his chest to have Xemnas agree with him. Part of Roxas thought that describing it so simply would be considered childish. He'd heard adults wax on and on about things like bouquets of flavor, robustness, and all these other buzzwords.

Simple seemed better. Roxas would rather get his point across than sound like an idiot trying to show off to the women they're with. Xemnas sounded genuine compared to them. The words that the blond didn't know to use came from the others lips and sounded right.]

I'm glad. It tastes like autumn just like sea salt ice cream tastes like summer.

[Of course he'd find a way to tie his favorite treat into this conversation. There were few things from his Nobody days that he wanted to hold onto in his new life as well. Skateboarding (even if it was considered out of fashion), exploring everything, ice cream on the tower... They would always be a part of him even with the new experiences he was having.

Roxas noticed the discomfort as he tilted his head. Some cues even he could read, leaning towards Xemnas with measured concern on his face. There was a smile... Roxas wanted to be sure, though, just in case.]

Is it hot? You should probably blow on it before you take another bite. Burned tongues aren't very fun.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO U!!

[totalistic]

My gluttony has gotten the better of me. I will certainly heed your suggestion from now on.

(Simplicity held sway over ostentation, the thought predominating over the form. Back then his opinion on the matter would have greatly differed, if for no other reason than that having vaster knowledge set up fertile grounds for deceit. What need for deception when love wasn't conditional on anything; so long as his young soulmate retained the same interest in him, all would be well.

Hoping the next bite would satisfy him, Xemnas discreetly blew on a small portion of his food and gulped it down. Better, much better. The burning sensation trickled away, and with his food dwindling came the kind of elation that only delicious dishes could bring. After some time, the Nobody threw in.)

. . . Yet I cannot pinpoint how it is that sea salt icecream brings a taste of summer to the winter months. Care to demonstrate?

(It wouldn't take more shrewdness -- or advantageous timing -- for Roxas to share that treat with him. Years ago, the Superior wouldn't have been so approving of entitling him to such small favour. Unlike the blond, Xemnas seldom ended up mired in distractions -- except that the adult belatedly came to the epiphany of how hobbies built character, of how good it felt to have something in common with others. Even more so with the lithe blond. None but him would ever see how unpolished and awkward the silver-haired man was in the social department, but only Roxas would be privy to the details due to his personal meddling.

Emotionally recluse as Xemnas could be, the Superior found himself to be . . . quite demonstrative in his affection for the child -- unlike popular beliefs, the Nobody-turned-Somebody wasn't emotionally jaded, just in denial of his emotions. Still, he wasn't left with adequate time to adjust to that new way of life, and it showed. But it appeared not to have soured his enthusiasm to learn more about emotions from a Somebody's perspective.

One of his hands reached out to brush a thumb across the corner of his mouth -- the barest caress.)

[missingache]

[Watching intently, Roxas didn't go back to his own dish till he saw that the other had indeed listened to his advice. He nodded, more to himself, as he pulled away to go back to eating. Soup didn't cool fast so he himself made sure to blow on each spoonful till he felt the liquid getting chilled with time.]

We can get some ice cream after this. Even if it's winter.

[Winter held the advantage of not melting the frozen treat as fast as summer heat does. The blond did get teased for wanting to eat ice cream all year. He couldn't really help it. So far there hadn't been anything else as addicting as the salty sweetness that his favorite food was.

The caress made Roxas blink a few times. Without really thinking about it, he leaned into Xemnas' hand before it could be pulled away. Being touched so gently was really becoming one of his favorite forms of physical contact.]

You're a lot touchier than I thought you'd be.

[Said without any trace of negativity. Roxas had a warm and inviting smile on his face that he made sure was turned towards the other. There was some surprise that he felt along with a warmth that he hoped would never leave him when he was around Xemnas.] But I don't mind.

[totalistic]

(A thought, a glimmer of memory, struck him, cutting through the warmth that Roxas exuded: the fondness of Ansem the Wise for the treat, his former Master eating sticks of sea salt ice cream by the fountain in Radiant Garden. Despite the treat being available back then, Xemnas had never tasted it. With it being the favourite treat over summer vacation, no wonder that Axel, Roxas and Xion had taken a liking to it during their days in the Organization.

Prudishness was too unappealing to bother with, or eluded him out of habit, of being spoiled with Roxas' tolerance for physical contact. The boy leaned into the caress with a positivity which imparted trust to him, evidence of it being how he didn't mind Xemnas being touchier than he thought the Superior would be.

In a voice no more than a husky, suave whisper, which was too low even to be intended to carry through the din of chatter and clatter of silver against china, and therefore manifestly purposed for the establishment of his own conviction, the Superior confessed:)

Physical touch has emotional connotations that often far outweigh anything that can be expressed via speech. It is my preferred means of communicating --

(--unadultered love.)

-- Affection.

(Forthright displays of eagerness, of readily accepting to be touched and cared for, resonated with unspoken appreciation. There was a convulsive movement of the features on his face, which Xemnas took to be the beginning of a smile. He was encouraged. The rest of the afternoon went swimmingly. Their dinner finished, Xemnas used the money amassed from the Heartless they'd defeated earlier on to pay the bill and saunter off with the idea of treating Roxas to sea salt ice cream in mind. He stopped by a vendor (licensed by Scrooge Mcduck), bought two sticks of the icecream, then gave one to Roxas. With freezing temperature showing up, it wouldn't fall off the stick as fast as in summer. He took a lick, a quick one, and hummed in appreciation as he took an immediate liking to the treat. There was no denying it tasted like summer.)

How have you fared since the Keyblade War? Life has been kind to you, or so it seems.

[missingache]

[Roxas tried the treat so early as a Nobody, with no real awareness, that he probably couldn't say if he liked it right away or not. It was just something Axel gave him as a treat at the time. Now? He would never say no to it.

Affection... Roxas looked at Xemnas with a curious expression. What would be his own preferred means? The more his mind pondered about it, the more he figured he too would likely use touch to show he cared. It seemed far easier than words.]

I think you're right. [If the person in question liked being touched. Which this small blond does. He'd soak up all the affection shown to him and bask in it. Start returning it when he felt more confident about what he could do.

One step at a time. There was no real rush on what they had going now.

Frozen treat in hand, Roxas was enjoying their afternoon. Determined to one day to be the one to be able to treat Xemnas to things. If he got to go hunt Heartless again, it would be quick, and a lot more fun than working at the bistro. Taking what he could get for some extra earnings would be the way to go. At least for the foreseeable future. He took a bite as he hummed softly.]

It's been good. I got signed up for school. [There's a pause as he took another bite.] Sometimes, though, I want to ask if I can go train. Not for being a master. Just to do something. It's weird, but I get something like an itch, and I just want to fight.

[The battle against the Heartless earlier had done a good job scratching that itch for the time being.]

But I'm supposed to be a normal kid. We stopped the war, so I'm supposed to just enjoy the peace.

[totalistic]

I certainly call that good tidings.

(The eyes of Xemnas rested for a moment on Roxas and passed to the train, where it drifted past its admirers at the Market, itself a throwback to simpler times. In a voice unconsciously modulated to the peace of the scene, Xemnas whispered before he took a bite.)

Learn everything there is to know about realizing your potential to the fullest. Knowledge serves that purpose well in time of peace.

(His daily preoccupations only stayed the indomitable battle-lust for so long before circumstances demanded the hunt for Heartless to still the ache. Seeing him like schoolboy working shifts for extra earnings at the Bistro threw Xemnas off. Even upon reflection, he had seen no point in eschewing Heartless hunt for the temptation to settle for normalcy. A downside to having a heart came through the expectations of his new humanity, coercing him into doing things like working after hours -- including the occasional attendance of cumbersome social gatherings. To have Roxas treat him to new things would be delightful, even sought-after, but the Superior couldn't help but think of wasted potential if Roxas couldn't evolve past this Pinnochio phase.

Still, Roxas had always longed to be a normal kid, with a normal life, and normal friends.

Xemnas turned with a sigh, quickly followed by a look of worriment. It was very hard to master his controlling habits, especially when Roxas was on the foreground. Events had piled up on his sturdy nerves rather too fast even for their resilient strength. Finding silence unproductive, the Superior presently broke it. Not after slurping on the ice cream in his hand.)

Is that your wish and intention to be a normal child?

[missingache]

I know. I just had to learn a lot before I even got to school. At least I knew how to read and write!

[Something that made Roxas grateful. His vocabulary didn't hold him back, even if he spoke plainly and informally most of the time. Writing was a different matter. The reports he had to do during the Organization days gave him a good base for things like essays. It was the other subjects there had to be a lot of catch up on before the year had started. Roxas was grateful to have Olette and Pence around for that.

Remaining silent for some time, he first part of his answer was a shrug.]

That's what I always wanted. It's what I wished for. Now that I get to be normal? [How to say this...] ... I don't think I can ever really be normal. Not after all that. Not with the strength I have. Normal kids can't summon a Keyblade, use magic, travel to different worlds. Fight the occasionally Heartless that pops up here.

[An effort was made, of course, to try and be like everyone else.]

My wish and intentions are just to be me. Have a normal life here, but still get to do all the other stuff sometimes. And when I'm done with school, I'll think about what else I want to do. I'll be an adult then, right?