You can't choose what stays and what fades away

Finding out that Sora was just a normal guy had been the biggest twist of them all.

...

Okay, maybe he should've planned this out a little more.

"Sure, that sounds good. Heh, maybe you can give me a few pointers for skateboarding-- I'm used to surfing."

He was trying not to feel like this was awkward. It was just a small start, is all. Sora felt like there was a bit of a cloud over them for the moment, though... Maybe it was just him. There was... A fair amount of history between the two of them, after all. And not all of it was very good.

His lips purse as he tosses a few ideas on what they can talk about around in his mind- some things are probably too invasive. Others are... difficult subjects. Not exactly the kind of thing he can bring up lightly.

@heartsandwishes

They’d made a promise…but Xion could be awfully sneaky when she was trying to get out of something. So far, he’s looked all over Twilight Town, Neverland; pretty much everywhere he knows they know, and a few more besides.

So by the time he finally finds her, Roxas is pretty ruffled. He’s not really paying much attention to whether or not she looks different than usual, he’s just-

“There you are!” Going to grab for their wrist the moment he’s close enough, with every intention of swinging back to Twilight Town by corridor if she concedes. Honestly, Xion. “Look, it’s just clothes shopping. It’s not that bad.”

they'd been in the middle of wandering around aimlessly when they're suddenly grabbed, pulling xion out of their thoughts. it's the weekend, after all, and they had so many plans for it, only to find they didn't really want to do any of them...

had they had real plans made?? they can't recall, but they've been so busy lately with extra training and studies - maybe it just slipped their mind. ..although, clothes shopping...? maybe they'd forgotten on purpose...

Black might be their color, but it sure isn't his. Besides, there's plenty of colors neither of them have tried!

@unvxersxd

The search for Sora takes them everywhere. Weeks after his disappearance, they’ve practically scoured all the worlds they know…except one. Really, they should’ve checked it first, except no one really wanted to go there.

In the end, Roxas is the only one to volunteer. Axel reluctantly agrees to accompany him, which is how they find themselves back at the Keyblade Graveyard, walking through piles of dead blades that had been flung around like debris for miles.

And the closer they get to the empty maze Xehanort had crafted, the more Axel hedges away, until Roxas steps inside on his own with a roll of his eyes. It’s just the remains of a battleground. No one’s gonna be here.

To potentially return back to the Whole, and not be left like this. But .. no. He wasn't so lucky. Why? Why was he left to suffer?

He hadn't even been reunited with his brothers.

Vanitas could just imagine the cruel laughter that would spill from his Master's mouth - thank whatever the fuck he's dead. Which he could only assume had happened. He hadn't tried to move from this area since discovering himself to be conscious again. Loose threads lingered within his mind from the battle onwards from when he had been defeated, but .. it was mostly a blur.

A crunch of gravel .. A pit of fear almost dared to manifest within the boy's stomach, before he tried to force an Unversed from forming. But then again .. he didn't have to try now, did he ..? Especially since he was away from the asshole.

But old habits died hard.

Ventus had spoken about him, a little. This would have to be...

"So you're Vanitas."

@multif0rmed

His first impressions of Xehanort aren’t great. Xemnas was always a figure of authority in his mind– someone who could inspire others to follow, if by nothing else but fear. This…old man, with slumped shoulders and age creasing his face?

Less impressive. Doesn’t mean Roxas is willing to underestimate him, but even so. 

The blond doesn’t blurt out the questions others might’ve asked. There’s no but why are you still here!? No how?! Just a teen that slowly walks across the length of the edge of the room, eyes fixed on his opponent.

Neither have drawn their weapon, so maybe the better term is… antagonist. Evil back from the dead. Again.

He shook his head momentarily to clear his thoughts.

Roxas. The Nobody of Sora.

Files had been on the boy back in the Castle That Never Was. ..Did that world survive after all that had happened? Or would it just be added to the list of dying worlds? Probably the latter, he mused for just a mere second.

Nevertheless, there seemed to be a sort of understanding in between the two - hence the lack of a keyblade shoved into his face.

But then again ... there was no true point of drawing his own weapon, same as for the other. The Second Keyblade War had passed ..

And failed.

"That's what you called me." To hide the Recusant Sigil in plain sight. To keep an eye on him, no matter what. That resentment is bottled away; tucked behind fixed concentration as he waits for one wrong move.

So long as the air between them remains watchful, and nothing more, Roxas' will slowly relaxed from his prowling movements, head tilting in quiet assessment.

@fatumincaelum

They haven’t…hung out yet.

Not to say they haven’t been around each other. They’ve done that plenty. Everyone had wanted to spend time on Destiny Islands, or checking out Land of Departure for the first time. But that was everyone. Axel and Xion, Ventus, Terra, Aqua. Kairi and (ugh) Riku, so did those times count?

Maybe. Maybe Roxas is just thinking too hard. Either way, he’s the one who decided to invite Sora to spend time together in Twilight Town, so he’s just going to have to deal with it. It’s not gonna awkward, or uncomfortable. They’re just- two people who are probably overdue in getting to know each other properly. Right.

Sighing under his breath, Roxas jams his hands in his pant pockets, trying to keep himself from getting too lost in thought. Sora said he was going to take the Gummi Ship to the Mysterious Tower, first, so he’ll probably waltz out the doors any moment, now.

He couldn't say he wasn't nervous.

He'd had one-on-one encounters with Roxas before, but almost all times were in the middle of... Well, chaos. He'd fought alongside Roxas, fought against him, but never just... Hung out. Not to say he never wanted to. He wanted to know who Roxas was, as himself and not just the knowledge that... He was Sora's Nobody. Still, he wanted to let the blond reach out first, unsure if the other was really ready.

Well, now or never.

He made sure the books he'd stolen borrowed from Yen Sid's tower were tucked away into his bag, put on a smile and made his way through the doors of the tower. His smile brightened a bit as he saw the blond waiting, though part of him did wonder if he'd been waiting long.

Finding out that Sora was just a normal guy had been the biggest twist of them all.

...

Okay, maybe he should've planned this out a little more.

"Don't go that way."

"What kind of danger?" Structural? Environmental? Or... something that doesn't belong here? "If it's that bad, someone should take care of it."