I swear this time it won't turn out the same

[rewritethesky]

Who: Namine and Open
When: Tuesday, May 29; Mid-day
Where: Baseball Diamond and optional Never Was Apartment
Summary: Namine gets revived and re-pulled after not dying via sparkles and being gone for a week. Cue a very confused and regretful bittygirl.
Warnings: Mentions of death, but that should be about it.


[Coming back to standing on the diamond, Namine was confused. Scared and confused, though not as much as the first time she arrived in the Port. Those anti-Newcomer messages... she recognized them, and not much else had changed in the landscape of the baseball diamond. The weather was still fresh, still May-like, but she wasn't sure what time of the year it was or how much might have changed beyond the diamond.

Namine knows that she's been gone though. Knows that she was sick and she vaguely remembers having a conversation with someone --Didi?-- before just slipping away into what felt like sleep. But it wasn't really quite sleep, not when you lost all sensation like that.

There could still be that sickness going around. In which case, she better keep her distance while she can. Namine still believes that she was the one that caused all her friends to be sick.

Though if no one finds her in the diamond, there is one place she wants to check. Though not having a key or even an NV to call and ask the others how they were, she knew the apartment would be a relatively safe place. Safer than out in the open of the diamond.

So with a deep breath, thinking about the apartment she shares with the others and an outstretched hand, Namine summons a portal and steps right in, a little nervous and a little scared for what might be around on the other side.]

Comments

[rewritethesky]

[She bashfully looked away, feeling a little better and more relieved once Axel lowered his collar off his face. To think that she had been missed, she guessed it was an honour of some sort, but it was still kind of strange, even after being here for almost year.

But it's then that she's reminded of Joe and her face fell again for just a moment. But, they're not on the best of terms really, Axel and Joe, so it would be best to keep that question to herself. However, she needs to find him and apologize. Given what she remembered from Oblivion, he... might not have taken it too well.]

...I'm glad to hear that. [More about everyone doing okay than the missed part.

And a week. That was a long time considering things. She only nodded, gaze dropping again and nervously rubbing her arm with one hand.] I'm... I'm sorry, that I...

[got_it_memorized]

Whoa, hey, none'a that. [He wags a finger sharply at her as she starts to apologize, cutting her off.] Look I dunno how much of this illness is actually caused by guilt like they say, 'cuz so far as I know germs don't work like that, but I'm not really interested in you taking chances, okay? [He shakes his head and ventures a grin. It really is good to see her.] Nobody thinks you did it on purpose--they'll all just be really glad you're back. So don't be sorry, got it memorized?

[And then he sighs softly, rubbing the back of his neck the way he does when he's feeling a bit awkward.]

Besides, I should be apologizing to you, if we're gonna go down that road. I've been here eight months now, I owe you for my memories of Xion--and more than that, even if you don't remember it--and we've hardly talked at all. [A shake of his head and he lets his hand fall back to his side.] So I'm sorry. [It's still such a strange word to hear his own voice say; it wasn't until he met Roxas that it even really reentered his vocabulary... Well, even if he's awkward, he means it.] I don't wanna lose touch like that again. I don't... want to hear about it secondhand if you're in trouble, okay?

[rewritethesky]

[She's taken aback when he stops her, and she deflates a little realizing that he has a point. There isn't really any reason for her to disagree with him and make things worse, so she smiles slightly and nods numbly.] ...You're right.

[But now... he's apologizing to her?! She's gawking at him, a little stunned. She always knew that he had the capacity for it to be sincere, but the moments when Axel has apologized to anyone are far and few.]

Axel, you don't need to apologize. [She pauses, looks down and presses her hands together. It was sweet, very sweet of him, but she couldn't accept it on the basis that he has to be the only one who's sorry.

She looks back up at him, an apologetic smile coming to her face.] I'm just as much to blame for that as you are. I should've called when I got sick. I should have checked up on you too.

[Of course, he's not going to accept that for an answer, so she adds;] So, we're both to blame for that. Not just you.

[got_it_memorized]

[... Well gosh she doesn't have to look that surprised. He's been working on being more honest and stuff, honest!

[He smiles a bit helplessly when she counters him, though, and holds his hands up in surrender.]

Okay, fair enough: we're both not great at this. [He clears his throat again and sort of presses the pad of one thumb against his temple, grimacing faintly.] So... I guess we should try and work on it together from now on, all right?

[Ugh, the headache is blooming behind his eyes again; maybe he should go home. There's almost something pleasant about the pain now, though--he's learning from it, if nothing else. There was a time Axel ignored his guilt because he was trying to convince himself he couldn't feel it. And there was a time he had all but stewed in it, having nothing left to hold on to aside from the knowledge that he was alone because of his own foolish, selfish actions.

[Now? Well, this has shown him that maybe he just needs to learn how to deal with it. Heart or no heart, guilt is a part of life, it seems, and to let it consume you is no way to live. Axel hadn't even realized just how much he'd been carrying around until this crazy illness. Maybe it was time to really knuckle down and forgive himself after all. Roxas had already forgiven him... maybe he could do the same.]

[rewritethesky]

[She believes it. It's still just odd to hear it sometimes, but she's glad all the same. Axel's put a lot of those emotions and thoughts on the back burner for so many years. It's good to know that he's trying, and doing well.] That's fine by me.

[And she nods in agreement. She's not the greatest friend either, not really having a lot of experience to act as precedents in the same way that Sora, Riku and Axel had. She'll try to be better, silently promising herself that.

He really doesn't look that good, and Namine looks around the apartment again, glancing at the couch. He doesn't want her to get sick, and she doesn't really want to either, but he needs rest.]

Do you want to stay here, or, go back?

[got_it_memorized]

[He laughs weakly.] You kickin' me out? [And then he waves a hand, grinning a bit so she knows he's just kidding.] I'll go. Like I said, I'm not gonna be the one to get you sick again.

[He takes a step back and summons a corridor, pausing in the ingress.]

I'm glad you're back. Let's both work on not being strangers this time around, yah? [Another step back and he gives her a genuine grin before the portal starts to close.] See you around, Naminé.

[Maybe today is the start of something good after all.]