Title: Puddles of Ice
Author Trilies
Genre Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Word length 669
Sypnosis Nobodies can't understand the pain of loss. That's what Lucrecia thinks, at first, but Vexen continues to surprise her.
Rating G
Yaoi/Yuri/Pairings Vexen/Lucrecia Crescent of the Final Fantasy VII game
Note: Okay, so. Explanation time is now. In a roleplay I am currently engaged in, the ending of KH1 ends up a bit different: instead of killing Xehanort!Heartless, Sora doesn't, and the Org. seizes control of Kingdom Heart's power for their own control. Each member gets a bit of power, and a world to rule, some (like Traverse Town) put on lockdown. Vexen gets Bristol Spaceport, from the movie Treasure Planet. (There were only so many KH canon ones to go around. That turns out to be the place where he happens to meet one KHfied Lucrecia Crescent, and they click. Thank god some one is mellow enough to deal with him, since Lexaeus is off dealing with his own drama in Deep Jungle. Eventually, me and the Lucrecia RPer, a good friend of mine, decided hey, let's make it a pairing. Because. (Hey, we're mellow over there. XD ) We both quickly grew to love it.
Now, just a few nights ago, Ana (the RPer) began to experience some shitty family life. I won't go any further, since it's her life and all, but she was feeling in the dumps. Since I'm a bleeding heart who can't stand to see her friend's feel shitty, I quickly vowed to get her something revolving around her latest favorite couple to cheer her up, whether it was art from other people or writing. This was just my little contribution to make her smile. Loves, Ana.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, just the plot, and only kind of, then. This is not for profit, just for fun.

PuddlesofIce

The damage is unrepairable.

What was once gorgeous, hunting moon yellow is now peppered with marks of gray and black. The edges are burned completely through, and the fabric tears in some places. It almost makes her heart drop; while it may seem like a simple hair ribbon to most people, this object carries precious memories for her. Turning it over gently in her hands, Lucrecia can't help but feel a stinging sadness burn in her chest, stab at her heart.

"Get over it," is the only thing Vexen has to say on the matter. Of course; that would be his response. While he can mimic human emotion well enough (almost too well, in fact), the Academic still lacks that one important aspect: the ability to connect to others, to feel what they feel, or at least understand it. Of course he won't see why this ribbon is so important to her. At best, he probably thinks it will hinder her in her work in the Bristol Spaceport laboratories.

Even though she knows he will not care, she can't help but say softly, "An old friend of mine gave this to me, a long time ago. It's all I have left of him..."

Nothing but silence.
Then again, it's not like she ever expected a response.

With a heavy heart, she returns to working, measuring out chemicals, writing down notes on how the Replica is doing in its tube, asleep and unaware of the minor tragedies and epic dramas which play out in the rest of the universe. Eventually, she hears Vexen make some excuse for leaving, something she doesn't quite catch. By the time she turns, however, he's gone. Another thing that's not surprising. Nobodies are so skilled with their corridors, after all.

Now that she's not being watched, Lucrecia goes slower in her work, and sometimes she gently touches the destroyed ribbon again. If only that burner hadn't flared up.. Of course, she should be thankful that it was just the ribbon that caught fire and not her hair, but still. Memories are so precious...

She's still staring down at the ruined yellow rag when she suddenly feels someone touch her hair. In alarm, she jumps, and begins to twist around only to be shoved right back around again. "Hold still," Vexen's voice snaps. "Honestly, this is going to be difficult enough." Falling silent, Lucrecia can only blink as the other scientist fiddles about with her hair, cursing at its length. When he tries to lift it up, she bows her head in what she hopes is helpful; the silent swearing ceases. There's a bit of pressure, a bit of tugging, but after what seems like a long while, Vexen grabs her by the shoulder and tugs her upright. "There." No explanation, no apologies, no nothing- nothing except the slightest lingering touches near the back of her neck. Out of the blue, Lucrecia realizes he's not wearing his gloves. For some reason, the thought makes her blush and almost shiver.

Black boots tap smartly on the hard floor of the lab as Vexen moves away, and Lucrecia takes that moment to study her reflection in a beaker. To her surprise, her hair is back in its usual style; it's a bit sloppy, admittedly, but not half bad for what she assumes is Vexen's first time. What really surprises her, however, is what she can see of the new ribbon which holds her hair in place. Unlike the joyous gold of the old one, this one is an odd shifting, soft blue. It must be some sort of advanced technology, or magic, because crack designs slither along the fabric, and it almost seems as if there's water rustling beneath some sort of surface....

It's almost exactly like ice.

Blinking, she turns her head, staring at Vexen's back. Then, with a very soft smile, she raises her hand to the new ribbon.

"Thank you," she whispers, and the words melt into the hollow of his chest like thawed ice.