Twenty-first Key

[optimistickey]

[Sora is back in his own room again. It takes him a little bit to recognize what all of this is, including the pictures he's pinned to the walls and the dirty clothes on the floor. There's another moment of thinking, and then his face instantly falls. He looks completely miserable, as if he's ready to break down any moment.]

That...that was absolutely horrible...

[He squeezes his eyes shut and swallows.] Gypsy...please let's not use the dimension jumping engine again! I don't ever wanna be...wanna do something like that, ever again!

Comments

[optimistickey]

[Even if he had taken some bruises from Roxas, those aren't there now, and he knows he dealt out a lot worse to Roxas while treating it as something fun. It's just awful and awkward to think about.]

I...I want to...

But what can I even do now to make it better?

[thirteenth_brat]

[While Sora's justified in being upset at the moment, it's also fairly uncomfortable to see him this upset. On the other hand, where would they be if Roxas had run off then instead of fighting? With suspicions raised, they could very well have ended up stuck in the mirror 'verse a lot longer... or worse.

So, overall, the most upsetting thing about that fight is how much it's bothering Sora.]

Well, we're in agreement on one point at least...

...

If it really means that much to you to do something, for starters, don't start moping about it. That's might just depress the crap out of people.

[There's a hint of teasing in his voice. The thought of a role reversal between them is amusing in an odd way. Roxas is supposed to be the emo here, dude.]

[optimistickey]

[Well, he doesn’t want to make other people upset by being upset himself. Sora rubs at the back of his head, now looking a little sheepish.]

I guess I don’t have nearly so much to be sore about as some people do, huh?

[thirteenth_brat]

Not really, no. Besides which, you and mopey don't go together.

[optimistickey]

[Sora tries to bring that smile back some.] I don't like hanging around mopey! Not a great guy at all.

[thirteenth_brat]

[That's... hilariously lame. Roxas chuckles. Small smile is better than no smile and a smiling dork is better than a moping dork.]

Well, find someone more fun then.

[optimistickey]

[Sora’s falling more into a teasing rhythm now, which is helping him.]

That shouldn’t be hard! Nearly everyone on this ship is more fun than mopey.

[thirteenth_brat]

[That's better.]

'Nearly everyone?' Who isn't?

[Roxas thinks he might know, but he's curious anyway.]

[optimistickey]

[Sora crosses his arms and rolls his eyes.]

That creep in the bodysuit, for one!

[thirteenth_brat]

Well, duh.

[Of course Vanitas is the obvious one. Although now Roxas is curious...]

Huh, is there anyone else here that'd be less fun than being mopey?

[optimistickey]

Wellll... [Sora’s gotta think for a bit. A few of the more un-fun people have already left.] Sam could probably stand to lighten up more too!

[thirteenth_brat]

[Somehow, Roxas isn't surprised to here that the eagle is one of the ones Sora doesn't find to be fun. Then again, he feels the same way. Sam is certainly very uptight and perhaps a bit closed-minded.]

Probably? He has a conniption every time something outside of his definition of normal occurs.

[optimistickey]

Yeah. I guess he's mostly harmless. [Not like he's a bad guy or anything, as he doesn't much have the power to stop anyone from having fun.] But it just seems like he's not all that happy that way!

[thirteenth_brat]

I wonder if that state of mind is normal or common in his world?

[It doesn't seem like it's healthy either way...]

[optimistickey]

I dunno...from some of the stuff he's said, it doesn't exactly sound like it, but I'm not sure.

[thirteenth_brat]

Hmm. That could explain why he's so uptight, then.