This is my first KH fic, as well as the first time I've done a fic outside of Fire Emblem. So yeah...umm...go easy on me if I've completely and totally messed up the characters and stuff. (bows in apology) I didn't think I did that bad, but who knows. Anyways, I had to write an Axel x Namine, and I had this random idea as I went to bed...so here it is. I just can't believe that, out of over 13,000 KH fics, there's barely 10 Axel x Namine fics! (Oh yeah, and there's 1001 ways to write Axel x Roxas stories...) Sorry for that quick rant, had to get it out...(bows again)
Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own KH, don't own the characters.
Just Like the Picture
Another day in that plain, colorless room.
He casually dropped into the white chair across from her, immediately folding his arms across his chest. She barely acknowledged him as her eyes followed the pencil marks upon her rough sketchbook paper. Drawing again, he supposed. That was really the only thing she ever did.
Slouching in his chair, Axel sighed to momentarily relieve his boredom. Everyday was the same. Come into this white room and make sure the girl doesn't escape or somehow plot against them. Come into this room and watch the girl draw and post pictures on the walls.
In fact, the only variable from day to day was the artwork. The older drawings and sketches were inevitably replaced with new pieces. There was always something different on the otherwise blank wall.
"So, Naminé," he began. "What are you drawing today?"
She finished a grey pencil stroke as her cheeks turned pink. "Nothing," she replied bluntly, still avoiding his sea green eyes.
"Nothing, hm?"
That was strange. What could she be drawing that would cause her to be so embarrassed?
"May I see?"
She defensively gripped the sides of her sketchbook, bringing it closer to her body. She responded calmly, "No."
He chuckled. Curiosity urged him to keep prying.
"What if I say 'please'?"
Her icy blue eyes flashed with defiance as her cheeks darkened. "I-It…it's not finished yet."
A flustered Naminé? Yes, this was certainly entertaining. Perhaps the day could be interesting...
"Is it Roxas?" (He insisted on badgering her.)
"No."
"Is it Kairi?"
"No."
"Is it Sora?"
She shook her head.
"Hm…," he paused, thinking of the other people she would usually draw.
Naminé ran her slim fingers through her tidy blonde hair, ignoring the man before her while trying to find the error in her sketch. She gently erased the faulty lines and swiped her hand across the paper to remove the twisted clumps of rubber.
"Is it…," A mischievous grin crept onto his face, "…me?"
She looked up at him for a moment before returning her gaze to the paper. "I guess you will just have to wait and see..."
He sighed once more. "You're no fun sometimes, Naminé."
He studied the girl for a minute or two. She could sense his eyes resting on her, but she pretended to be ignorant as long as she could. Finally, her eyes traveled upward, just to take a peek at the red-haired man.
He was still staring. Slightly intimidating, actually.
She continued drawing, and he resumed his boredom.
They eyed each other suspiciously. Finished with her sketch, Naminé went to her dresser to retrieve her colored pencils. She kept her eyes on him, believing he would come from behind her and try to steal her precious sketchpad, which she protectively clutched. He kept his eyes on her, just in case she was trying to escape, which was highly unlikely. Not to forget, he did want to see that picture…
Returning to her chair, she seated herself in a dainty manner, eyes still glued to his smiling face. She withdrew a few pencils from her tin box, relieved to be in her chair again. The "danger" of Axel seeing her unfinished piece had lessened. She chose a red pencil first, lightly coloring between the lines. Back and forth, back and forth… The monotonous scratching of pencil on paper was the only sound breaking the silence.
He shifted in his chair. A red pencil…which color would she choose next? He figured that if he observed her color selection, he could acquire a vague idea of what she was drawing. He had played this game several times before as he watched her draw. This time, however, things were a bit different. Something about this picture made it special to her, something she preferred to hide from him.
A black pencil. He smirked again.
Sitting for what seemed like hours, he decided to stretch for a bit. Yawning, he stood and browsed the girl's ever-changing gallery.
His black boots pounded on the floor as he slowly sauntered near the walls. The plain rectangular papers on the wall contained images of people and places, often Sora and his companions or the worlds he had visited. He turned the corner, now passing the wall behind her.
She cocked her head to the side, noticing his sneaky behavior. He glanced at her. "What?" he asked, knowing precisely why she was glaring at him.
He folded his arms, pretending to admire the art on the walls. When she commenced drawing, he turned around and attempted to look at her sketchbook from afar. A yellow pencil…
He quietly tip-toed closer for a better glimpse. The pencil scratching stopped. She whirled around in her chair; her face was completely red. She hugged her sketchpad tightly. He let out a small laugh. "Don't worry, Naminé…I didn't see anything."
He was being… somewhat honest, at least. He had seen part of a character that looked similar to him. She doubted his words. "What's so special about that picture anyway?"
"Well, I --" She stopped. "I just don't want you to see it right now."
She tilted the sketchbook so that she could view it in secret; her back would still hide it from Axel. He leaned forward to see, resting his chin on her small shoulder. "Hey!" she squealed, jerking the book away from him and hugging it once more.
He backed away. "I…I'll show you tomorrow, Axel."
"Why not today?" He couldn't resist asking.
"Tomorrow…," she repeated sternly.
Another day in that plain, colorless room.
He shut the door as he walked in. She paid no attention to him, as if nothing had ever happened the day before. He wouldn't forget it so quickly, though. He seated himself in his usual chair. "So, Naminé…where's your picture?"
Her blue eyes meekly gazed up, meeting his own for a moment. She lifted her slender hand and pointed to the wall at her left.
He grinned in satisfaction. As he approached the wall, he placed his hands on his hips and studied the hand-drawn image. "Well, I was partially correct…," he muttered to himself.
Naminé set her sketchpad on the table and planted her feet on the floor. Her sandals barely made a sound as she went to him. He turned his head and looked at her. His voice was unusually serious. "If only we were somebodies…right, Naminé?"
She nodded.
Her left hand trembled as she tried to lift it towards him, but she hesitated.
Suddenly, she felt it. His warm hand caught her own just as she let it fall, holding it gently…
Just like the picture.
Ok, there we go. Please review and tell me if you liked/disliked it. I hope I didn't do too poorly...