[closed]

[retrieves]

Who: kh cast
Which: closed log
Where: during the event so...everywhere?
What: everything all at once
Warnings: death and... idk a lot of angst





anyone dying? log it here!
people getting into cuddlepiles post-event? log it here!
anyone got anything else they wanna do with kh cast without posting on the event log? this is for you!
closed threads with the kh cast catchall or just general cast tagging is in here!

Comments

[oathkeeper]

[Everyone is ... is.

There's not really any word to describe it. Everyone is scattered and hurt and trying to rest and recuperate. Sora himself is still in a lot of pain and the residual effects of the dark nightmare shroud filling his head and his own emotions of pain and anguish are still making Sora very weak.

But not weak enough to not check in on Naminé. He's the one opening the door with the very intention of going to her first. But seeing her there, looking as fragile as ever...]

Naminé. Are you okay? [He holds a hand out to her.]

[lethechained]

[ There's a brief moment when Naminé's blonde head turns at the sound of his voice, her eyes too round, and she says, ]

Sora--

[ as if it's the start of a warning, as if her powers are still beyond her control; it's such a silly thing to feel, but somehow she wasn't quite prepared for it to be him to open the door, preposterous though that might be. He's the one most strongly connected to her magic, the one presumably most at risk from them, and part of her, despite knowing she's been wrung out like a sponge, knowing there's no more of that rancid hate flowing through her and taking her magic along with it, is afraid.

But it passes quickly, for even that's beyond her now when she's so exhausted, and her shoulders sink with a momentary regret as she repeats, more soberly, ]

... Sora.

[ Her voice is thin, raspy. She looks as used up as she feels, paler even than she typically is, hair fully pulled loose from her braid from earlier in the day and left slightly wavier and more dishevelled than usual in its normal place on her shoulder. Her hand, when she raises it toward Sora's, is tremulous, but-- she still grasps hold of him with what strength she does have, and says, hardly above a whisper, ]

I'm okay.

[ She has to take a second to just-- hold onto his palm, to let herself be fully convinced that she won't hurt him. Then, ]

Are you... and the others...?

[ She's got the same question for him in return, it seems. ]

[oathkeeper]

We're okay!

[Sora says that first because he wants to dismiss her thoughts of the others right away. Right now he's only worried about her especially since the look on her face spells out something that Sora can't quite describe. It's almost like she's scared of something. And that makes Sora's stomach drop.

He squeezes her hand gently as if to reassure her that everything is steady. This is real and this isn't a series of nightmares coming after them. And then he gently goes to her and closes the gap with a tight and firm hug. He wraps his arms around her and hugs her with all he can muster.]

I'm. I'm so sorry I didn't find you fast enough.

[Sora had been caught in a heated fight between Ansem and Riku. Vanitas had gotten thrown into the mix. And Sora had been knocked out more than once. So much happened and he's not sure where to start except that ... He's sorry he didn't get to her.]

[lethechained]

[ The strain in Naminé features eases by a considerable measure at his reassurance, a deep sigh lowering her shoulders. Perhaps it's not as simple as everyone being completely unharmed, but... if the damage is at least reparable, that might be all she can ask for. With exhaustion painted in every line of her body and heavy in her voice, she exhales an, ]

I'm so glad.

[ She means it, but-- the poor thing's only just keeping upright as it is. Her head lifts slightly when she realizes he's moving toward her; she offers no resistance as he gathers her up, her cheek naturally falling to rest on his shoulder. As immediately as she can manage, Naminé wraps her slim arms around Sora in return, hugging back with all that she has, too - which might make it obvious how weak she is at the moment, given how she trembles. ]

No, [ she tells him, unhesitating. Aside from her hopes of avoiding him feeling guilty over it, the fact is, ] It's-- better this way. I could have really hurt you, if you'd been there.

[ Truthfully, she'd been relieved not to encounter Sora during her... episode. Even if he might have intended to help, might have succeeded in helping, it would have been far greater a risk than she'd dare to take with his well-being. ]

[oathkeeper]

[That response seems like something she would say even if it makes Sora frown slightly. He hugs her tighter as if he could scoop her off her feet right now if her knees buckled from the exhaustion.]

I don't care, I should have been there to help you too.

[It's just in Sora's nature to push himself like that. It's not necessarily guilt that he feels but an obligation to help his friend which is mountains more important. But shadows of Ansem had knocked Sora out more than once and that...]

You should stay over here tonight. It's probably not a good idea for any of us to be alone right now. Do you want to? There's tons of pillows and blankets.

[He wants to talk to her more.]

[lethechained]

[ Naminé tries not to let him take her weight, tries not to lean against him too heavily, but-- she's weak enough that she relies on his support more than she means to, and can only hope he doesn't notice it. There's contrition in the murmur of his name she gives after his insistence, but she knows full well there's no convincing Sora; whatever the cost, he always wants to be there for his friends. (If her past self could see her now, she might be overjoyed to count as one of that group these days, and yet-- she's grateful to any powers that might be listening that he didn't get the opportunity to follow through this time.)

No matter her worries about the rest, though, Naminé can at least agree to his suggestion. ]

Mm, [ she answers into his shoulder, voice still raspy with her, ] I think-- I would rather stay with all of you. Even though they say it's over, I...

[ Well, she probably doesn't need to explain her feelings to him, does she? He seems to understand already, given that he brought it up. The one sentiment she keeps to herself is that same fear he saw in her eyes, that she might cause harm without intending it - but she's all too aware of how spent she is at the moment, of how both the negative energy that filled her (and what feels like most of the rest of her) has been extinguished.

More than that... they should all be together, for everyone's sake. ]

[oathkeeper]

I don't want to be alone either.

[Sora finishes that thought with a thought of his own. While he knows Riku and Roxas are resting again he still feels like they're miles and miles away where he can't reach them or see them. Vanitas feels distant like Sora can't reach out and pull him down from the nightmare he got caught in. Naminé is so out of reach that he feels like he'll fall if he can't take her hand. And it's all such a heavy feeling.

He loosens his hold on her just so he can look at her face and offer that same soft and reassured smile that he always gives even if Sora looks just as tired as anyone could expect from anyone that went through this nightmare ordeal.]

Come on, come inside with me.

[He'll lead her inside his treehouse. The same one they baked cookies in. The same one that's been his home for a while now.]

[lethechained]

[ As much as it feels to Naminé like she's struggling to reach the surface of her own mind, exerting tremendous effort to even keep herself upright, those words remind her of one very clear and yet easily overlooked truth; Sora needs his friends. Or at least, he believes he does, and that goes not only for the necessity of protecting them but also of keeping them close. As little as she likes the idea of being alone right now, for him it must be far worse.

So when they draw apart enough for her to peer up at him, for her to see that ever-ready smile of his, she finds she doesn't quite believe it. There's a searching look in her eyes, the deliberate shaping of her own mouth into a smile a few beats late. She doesn't acknowledge it aloud, but one of her hand moves to place itself ever so gently against his shoulder and linger there.

She might not be much, but... she's here, at least. ]

... Okay.

[ She'll follow him, as promised. The sooner she finds somewhere to rest, the better - though for the time being, she intends to stay awake. Whatever other mistakes she's made today, falling asleep before Sora isn't one she'd like to add to that list. ]

🎀

[oathkeeper]

[Her hand is somehow a steadying feature that puts ease in Sora's heart. It's a gentle reminder of much he owes her for.

He knows it's a lot to deal with. Everyone has gone through something dark and they have to find a way to heal through the things that happened.

Sora himself feels this deep terrible wash of guilt for not being there for everyone in some form or another. For someone like him? It's a terrible frustration.

But for now, they'll have a night of rest. Sora will grab everything needed to make her comfortable to stay with them.]