𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 ? they had kept their distance from one another , a silent yet mutual understanding . he kept to his books , kept to his knowledge and seeking it out , and she her responsibilities as keyblade master . and yet , as their was a change in the unfolding of his soul so too was their a change in their silent understanding .
it became silent moments where the other would simply reach out , her sash becoming a pillow while he slept in odd and unsual places . his silent return of the sash , with only a note to thank her by , and all would return itself back to normal – only for ansem to once again fall victim to human exhaustion , head crooked in uncomfortable hard surfaces , and for her to find him sash in hand .
then she had sat with him instead of leaving , quietly mulling over her own books . whatever she read , he did not ask – did not feel the need to pry . instead he awoke , looked upon her reading , and simply sat beside her to enjoy the strange new sensation of company .
what had ansem done to deserve company ?
and so it went , their silence . their understanding . how they grew in it’s emptiness , filling out what words otherwise would have muddied . for how could ansem speak ? what voice did he have that could fill the gaps between them that could not be done by simply respecting her silence , her space , as she respected his in turn .
and how strange , indeed , was it that he would wake to a tug , wincing at that unusual sensation that that brought with it – and how it did not overwhelm him to watch her touch him , carefully braiding hair .
something for him to unpack later , for now he only wished to experience it . months prior , when his wholeness was new and aching , this would have hurt . sent him spiraling . overstimulating , powerful , feeling where before he had felt nothing . now he sits calm , oddly trusting , as her hands wound the strands of hair over each other one by one by one .
his head lulled , resting back against the hard wooden book case he sat beside , and let her continue her ministrations while his eyes read the spines of the books he protected .
when she finished , her hands left him unceremoniously . he turned , shocked , questioning , before touching his hand to the back of his head . it stayed in place , the woven strands tied together tightly , and felt odd against his fingertips . he relaxed , breathing out the breath he held , before rising to his feet .
❝ thank you , ❞ he spoke , for perhaps the first time , and wandered away towards the heart of his library .
