lucetilogs | You and I left our troubles far behind

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You and I left our troubles far behind

Who: Luke (

fourteen)
What: Celebrating their one year anniversary - a month late, but who's counting?
When: Today (March 16th), early afternoon
Where: Different places!
Summary: Xion brings up that they should finally celebrate their year long relationship together, which is exactly what Luke's been waiting for.
Rating: C for Cavities

A lot of things happened that brought Luke down. Axel and Sora left, leaving Xion in a state of depression that he couldn't pull her out of easily. He himself was told that he was going to die, something he's only told three people, out of all his friends. All because of his stupid weak body, and because of such extreme circumstances...

But now Guy's here. And though his appearance caused many unhappy reactions from people due to his loss of memory, it made Luke very happy. It showed in his day to day interactions, how he'd smile more, joke around more, even give light shoves or a friendly arm around the shoulder. It was all enough to almost make him forget about his progressive illness - almost. Still, if something was bothering him, there was no chance he'd show it right now, with him so happy.

And he wanted to share that happiness with someone. Someone important to him. It was just a little thing, a little offer that she didn't have to take. But it was one he hoped she would take, one that makes him smile as he writes to her.

"Do you want to meet up at the bakery? We can have some ice cream together!"

Sure, it wasn't summer. Sure, it was kind of cold. But he knew that Xion didn't really care about the weather when it came to ice cream, so he'd be the only one complaining about it.

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... of course, she can hardly refuse such an offer. When she sees it appear in her journal, she smiles a little, soft and sweet, and thinks about it for a while.

Though that's the problem, isn't it? That she has to think. That her reaction isn't an immediate yes! I'd love that! And of course it isn't. These days, a good deal of her reactions to him have been just a few degrees cooler than they ought to be. She doesn't know what to think about Luke anymore, and it's slowly, very slowly, begun to scare her.

But such a simple, sweet offer really isn't something she could refuse, now or ever. Her smile turns into a grin, and she writes him back.

"Sure! Just don't complain when I make you try sea salt again! ♥"

And not long later she's there, waiting outside, a quiet smile on her face as she watches for his approach. There are a lot of things that, for her, still aren't okay. She's lost so much in recent weeks, and in a lot of ways, she still isn't over it. May never get over their loss. But she's started to learn how to smile again, at least - and she can smile even a little bit for the boy she loves so much.

There is a bag hanging off her arm, fairly nondescript, of the sort she might usually carry around town. But the contents will stay a secret, for now.

The fact that half of him thought she wouldn't take the offer told that he noticed the way she's been acting around him. Staying at the clinic longer, leaving school earlier instead of waiting for him - she was avoiding him, and Luke thought he knew why. Could she have found out somehow? It wouldn't be hard for her to guess, considering the way he reacted when she visited him at the Battle Dome's clinic.

There was a nervousness in his chest that was familiar - he'd felt it a year ago, when he'd do something and be unsure of if she'd like it or not. It was familiar, yet strange. He hadn't felt it in a while.

But thankfully, it dies away when he reads her message, only to make a face at the last part.

Sea salt, huh... He hadn't tried that in a while, either. In fact, the last time he did was... Huh. During the last Valentine's experiment. It only crosses his mind briefly, though, and he brushes it aside as he hurries to their meeting place. He'll only bring up things that happened a year ago if he's sure she's okay with it.

Once Luke sees her, he lightens up a little at the sight. He waves and runs over, and he reaches out to take both of her hands in his own once he reaches her.

"Hey." He sways their hands lightly as he takes a quick glance at what she's wearing. "You look really pretty, you know."

Of course, she always looked pretty to him. But Luke always thought to point it out, to let her know that she's beautiful to him no matter what she's wearing or what she's doing. Heh, he even has to let out a soft chuckle and glance off to the side; It's times like these when he can reluctantly acknowledge that he's an absolute sap at times like these.

She blinks at him, a little startled, when he starts swinging their arms and telling her she's beautiful. At first her reaction is to pull away -- because he's making the bag swing! And she's a little worried about its contents. But the motion isn't too drastic, so she lets him do it.

And of course, what he says makes her blush, a noticeable, soft pink. Even after all this time he still makes her blush when he compliments her or even just smiles at her in the right way. As scared as she is by what might be going on, she still loves him more than she can even say.

Giving his hands a squeeze, she leans in to give him a kiss on the cheek before stepping back again, with a little grin on her face. She ... well, she did dress a little extra pretty today. Considering what she was hoping to do.

"You know I think you look handsome, right? I always think that." Shyly, but a little teasing, too.

He squeezes her hands, too, and he can't help returning that little grin once she pulls back from the kiss. And his cheeks turn red as well when she tells him that he's handsome - he can't help it. She's said it enough, but compliments, especially from her, always get him flustered.

"Heh heh... yeah." Luke does notice the bag, though, so he lets go of her hands and tries to peek inside. Just a slight raising on his toes, just to try peering over the edge of it. "What's with the bag?"

Now that he's mentioned that, she is dressed very nicely for just going to get ice cream. Is there something else going on today?

What whoa hey no. With a laugh, Xion pulls back, one arm pulling the bag to her chest, her other hand moving to pin the opening closed between two pinched fingers. Like she'll let him cheat! "It's a surprise! You'll see. But first, ice cream! You promised, remember? And no getting out of sea salt today!"

With a somewhat mischievous smile she moves past him, so they can go get that ice cream. Just the thought of the look on his face when he takes a bite is already cheering her up.

It's probably a lot like the face he's making now. He'd put his hands on his hips in response to being bagblocked, and then the mention of sea salt just makes him give something between a smile and a cringe. Yup, she really was going to make him eat the stuff, huh... Granted, it wasn't the worst ice cream he ever ate, but. Salty ice cream. It was weird! And he was sure he'd never get over the weirdness of it.

But with a sigh and a shrug to himself, as well as an "All right, all right" for her, he follows after her. Thankfully(?), it doesn't take them long to get their treats, and soon enough, Luke sits across from her and looks at his ice cream with that same look as before. Yup... Light blue, just as Xion planned. Here Luke was hoping to sneak in strawberry.

"Salty ice cream again, huh..." He will just. Let her try it first. Yes.

Are you kidding, bro? She's already taking a bite, with this tiny adorable knowing teasing smile on her face. Like she might not ever actually stop smiling. She's clearly enjoying both her ice cream and his suffering. Mostly his suffering.

"You have to stop thinking of it that way! It's just ice cream, Luke. Just ... different!"

It's a good thing to know that his suffering can put a smile on her face...???

"Different, right." He lets the ice cream sort of tilt to the side as he leans up a little; maybe he can change the subject, let the ice cream melt! "So, when're you going to tell me what's in that bag?" He has to admit, he's been curious ever since she blocked the view from him.

"How about I tell you when you finish your ice cream?"

That smile on her face is pure innocence.

Mmhmm, innocence. The word Luke associates with it is the complete opposite of innocence, but who is he to argue?

He just gives her a look right back, resulting in something of a stare down, an "innocent" smile against something like exasperation. Finally, he glances at the ice cream, noticing that a few tiny beads of it have dripped onto the table, and he brings it back to him to take a lick.

Uuugh he can't help wincing at the initial saltiness, only for it to fade into a sweet flavor. Really, it's not the worst ice cream he's ever had; it's just the initial taste that always gets to him. The rest isn't bad at all. And sure enough, he leans back in his chair as he licks the ice cream again, a look of resignation on his face.

"Happy?"

If dissolving into immediate giggles is any indication, then yes, she is happy. There is something more important about it to her than just ice cream - it's a symbol. A connection to her closest friends, one of whom isn't here any more - one of whom is dead. And Luke, who is just so important and so special to her ... well, she'd like him to have it, too. Ice cream is, in a way, a very special link to the people she loves the most, and she wants him in on it, too.

So she takes a few more bites of her own ice cream and beams at him.

"Yeah! Hehe, thanks, Luke. I know you feel weird about it. If you want to get strawberry instead, I don't mind!"

If he takes her up on that, once he gets back, she'll finally show him what's in the bag.

He just looks at her, as if to consider that offer, all while slowly licking and nibbling at the ice cream. After that, though, he slides out of the chair; looks like he's taking her up on that after all.

"Yeah, I think I'll do that. I'll be back, okay?"

With that, he takes a big bite of the sea salt ice cream and reaches out to ruffle her hair, then gives it a light, teasing push as he heads to the front of the store. He'll just finish this one ice cream he has before getting strawberry, part to make her happy, part because he doesn't want to waste it after he just got it. And maybe part because it is kind of good. Not that he'll admit to that, as it's a sort of game between the two of them.

"H-Hey!" She protests weakly, not really minding, and giggling at the hair ruffle. "Okay." Xion watches him go with a great deal of fondness, unable to help the fuzzy feelings he always gives her.

She finishes her ice cream in the short time he's gone, silently contemplating things. Things specifically between them. It hasn't all been roses and sunshine since his return from his kidnapping, and she knows that better than anyone - after all, she's been the one avoiding him. But this, right now, is about something different. She may not be 100% sure how she feels right now about his secret, but if there is something she knows, it's that she loves him with her whole heart and soul.

So, once her ice cream is done, she pulls the bag onto her lap, peeking inside, taking a deep breath before closing it up again. When Luke returns, he'll find her blushing and very shy, though she's willing to meet his eyes. Determined, in fact. After all ... she has something she needs to make up to him.

Once he does return, the sea salt ice cream is gone from his hands, having been replace with strawberry. With rainbow sprinkles that he asked for. It's only around Xion where he can indulge in this little fondness of his, it's embarrassing with anyone else.

He notices that look on her face before he even sits down, though, and it makes him pause in his steps before he thinks to complete his journey to the chair. He can't help but raise an eyebrow curiously, though the smile on his face seems more teasing.

"What? Thinking about something?" There's a particular something in his mind, but he's a little too shy about the subject to bring it up. So, it is a mere "something".

"I guess you could say that." Her gaze lowers, now, for a different reason, and her smile turns a little sad. "... I know I missed our one year anniversary. I feel so bad. I mean ... I know it's not like I could help it, considering," she murmurs, with a weak laugh. "But ... I still wanted to do something for it. That is, if you wanted to."

With a breath, she lifts the bag onto the table, the hard object inside making a soft clik-clak as it settles onto surface of the table.

"Way back in the beginning of February I started working on this gift for you. I guess maybe the only good thing about how long it took is that I had time to make it perfect."

Xion pauses there, taking another breath to look at him, her eyes searching his face. "Do ... you want to see it?"

When she looks at him, she'll find his eyes wide, and a blush covering his own face. She... made that for him? For their anniversary? And she wants to celebrate it now?

But his own surprises haven't even been made yet! Sort of! A couple of them don't have to be made, but... still!

So, while most of him feels soaringly happy and somewhat flustered, another small part of him feels a tad panicked. Oooh no, he could've used a warning! But... heh. He can't help the smile coming up, and now he's the one who looks a little shy.

"Y-Yeah... Of course I do."

Edited 2012-03-24 21:39 (UTC)

One last time, Xion takes a deep breath ... then reaches into the bag, and takes the object inside and places it on the table.

The object -- her gift -- is a beautiful wooden music box, unlacquered, carved with a floral scroll across the lid that creeps onto the sides. If Luke opens it up, he'll find the inside is very plain, with just a small mirror embedded into the lid, above the actual workings and gears of the music box itself. On it, of course, is the song that she wrote for him - for them.

Xion nudges it towards him with a shy smile still on her face.

"Originally I was just going to write you a song... but I asked the village for help, and everyone helped me come up with the idea to make it into a real music box. I ... I hope you like it."

At first, Luke thought it was just a box. Music boxes can be a little misleading like that. Still, were those selenias that were carved into the box? It's just as he's examining that that she brings up what it actually is, what she planned to do, and what she did do.

He slowly looks up from the box, and he seems like something between touched and awed. That she did this back in February, and he didn't even know about it... And she had this made, something that she knows has a particular meaning for him. That she wrote a song...

One hand moves up to wipe at his nose despite him not needing to, and then it moves down to his mouth, before he reaches out to take the music box and pull it towards him. He runs his fingers over the top of it, that floral scroll, then slowly moves both hands to open it up and look inside.

Sure, it's plain, though he doesn't bother looking at the mirror; he already knows how he looks. What he focuses on is the tune that plays once he opens it. Music has such a large impact with Luke, and Xion's been with him long enough to know this. He shuts his eyes and takes in a deep breath as he listens; the tune is both simple and complex at once, and behind it lies a certain sort of fondness and warmth. Once it loops, he lets out a breath of a laugh, helpless and joyful, and he leans over to rest his chin on his arm and let his other hand tuck into his bangs. Then he finally opens his eyes, looking at the young woman he loves so much, and he looks so deeply touched and, still, a little shy.

"You're..." Heh. He lets out another small laugh and shakes his head. It's similar to when he gave her the book he wrote for her - for them, and she started to cry. Except he can't stop grinning and letting out small, quiet laughs of joy. He's not even sure what to say.

Edited 2012-03-24 23:02 (UTC)

His reaction is really just remarkable. And Xion finds herself slowly starting to blush brighter, until there's an obvious, deep pink flush across her cheeks, even reaching up to touch her ears, and her smile is just so helpless and so happy. It's stupidly, wonderfully clear how much he loves it, and how much he's touched by it, and the swell of joy and pride in her chest is practically making her giddy.

He really likes it ... this thing she poured her whole heart into making.

And so, beaming, struggling to get her words out right around the elated bubble in her chest, Xion says simply, quietly, "Happy anniversary, Luke."

Luke runs his hand through his hair, still trying but failing to get any words out as he looks from the music box to her. Finally, he shuts his eyes and lets out a long, content sigh, as his hand settles in his bangs again.

"Happy anniversary." He opens his eyes again and straightens up, his own smile so big and helpless and so happy. It's hard to touch her with a table sitting between them, but he still reaches across the table until he can hold both of her hands in his own. "You - You're really amazing, Xion."

"I love you." It's all she can think to say, all that is true, pressing against her lips and the front of her skull and bursting from her heart. She just loves him so, so much.

"... and your ice cream is melting." Teasing, with a laugh. She can't help it! It's hard not to tease when she's this happy.

"... Huh?"

And sure enough, when he thinks to look over at his ice cream, many of the sprinkles have become lost in the melting slide of ice cream. He lets go of her hands in surprise, only to smile sheepishly as he brings the ice cream closer.

"I, uh... I didn't even notice." He was too busy with all of... this, after all. Speaking of which, he only takes one bite of that ice cream before he sets it aside again to grin. He looks excited about something, that's for sure, even if there's a blush on his cheeks.

"I've got a few things for you, too." His heart's thudding in his chest as he speaks, and there's a large wad or nervousness building up. He's sure she'll like the things he has planned, but... they're still things that make him feel a little vulnerable, even now, before he's had the chance to actually go through with them. "But they're not here. We can go... get them after you're done with your ice cream."

Get them, ha... It's more like "going to them", even though he doesn't have it ready. Aaahaha.

"You do?" She can't keep the excitement out of her voice, or off her face. She lights up, eyes practically shining, sitting ramrod straight. "I mean, I'm done! We can go, you know, whenever." And she laughs. She knows how eager she seems, but this is the happiest she's felt in ... in a while. It's nice to feel so genuinely excited about something.

"You are? Then... let's go now!"

Sure, the poor ice cream only had one bite taken out of it. But he's in too excited of a mood to actually finish the whole thing. He takes her hand as he scoots out of his chair again, music box carefully held in his other arm, and he leads her away...

... And leaves the ice cream on the table. At times like these, he forgets that maids won't conveniently come by and clean up after him.

They don't have to go too far, just to Seventh Heaven across the path. He holds her hand the whole way there, his grip tightening just a little once they get inside the restaurant. He's pretty sure Van isn't working today, but that doesn't stop his nerves from shooting up these days when he steps into the place. It's a little sad, but that's far from his mind right now.

He leads her to a table near the piano, and though he sets his music box down and gestures for her to sit, he remains standing, now holding both of her hands.

"You know... I've been waiting for this. When we could celebrate this." He blushes, and it's tempting to duck his head to avoid her eyes, but he's determined to keep looking into them. "The stuff I have planned kind of... need some work. Do you mind waiting here?"

"Luke! You can't just--"

But they're already gone by the time she realizes what's happened, and she sighs, with a laugh. She'll go back later and apologize or something. Hopefully it won't be too big a deal. Sorry to whoever has to clean that up!

Of course, they're both pretty excited, and Xion keeps her now-empty bag tucked under her other arm so she can squeeze his hand right back once they get in. She knows about his fear, but just like him, she doesn't want it to bring her down - not today. She's a little surprised, though, when he gestures for her to sit and keeps standing. She'd sort of assumed he just wanted to take her out to dinner (and she knows her dad would approve) - but is he up to something more?

"... of course not." She grins up at him and his adorable blush. "Take your time, okay? I've got ... well, I've got the whole day free to spend with you, if we want." That brings on a tiny blush of her own, but only a tiny one.

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