Fast Food Madness: The Epic Return

"Hopefully I'll be able to change that over the next few days," Sora said, a weak smile appearing on his lips. If he had to leave, then he would at least help Kairi prepare for that reality. He wouldn't abandon her completely...He would make sure she was as alright as possible before he was gone.

"I know," Namine said softly in acknowledgment. Roxas always did feel the need to apologize when he didn't need too. Actually, she was a lot like that, too. At that moment, she wanted to apologize for her crying a few minutes ago, but she knew that was a subject neither of them wanted to think about.

 

Kairi glanced up underneath her eyelashes at Sora, seeing his smile. She returned it with a frail one of her own. By his words she could at least interpret that he was going to be with her, and right now, that was all she was asking for.

Roxas wanted to say more, about what was really bothering him. But those subjects were really touchy. For instance, one thing that was nagging at him was if their relationship was going to change. He didn't want to bring that up, because that would most likely portray that he was doubting their love. But Roxas knew that would never be the case.

 

Sora's weak smile vanished after a few moments, but he still held Kairi's gaze. He didn't want to look away...He wanted to be able to remember her eyes for a long time, since he wouldn't see the real things for a while.

Namine sat there in the silence, not having anything to say. Nothing that registered to her, anyway. But if Roxas had something to say, she would gladly listen. Now she pretty much just wanted to hear his voice and remember it as clearly as possible.

 

Kairi's smile slowly dimmed as the silence continued, the minutes passing by. She wasn't sure what exactly was making her focus on Sora's eyes, but she felt that it was like a magnetic pull. Of course, she wasn't going to resist that, not after the news she had received earlier. She wanted to do anything but that.

"...I wish I knew how long we would be gone," Roxas said to no one in particular, just speaking his thoughts aloud. He didn't want to be away long, for obvious reasons. Namine, the most important, of course.

 

"Me too," Namine confessed softly, her tired blue eyes falling shut. That was going to be really hard, knowing that he was gone and not knowing when he would return. How would she know he was alright? She hated to think of it, but...Would she ever see him again?

 

Roxas leaned his elbow agains the arm of the couch, bringing that hand up to rub his forehead. "I'm sorry I can't tell you that," he said softly. "I really wish I could." It would have been better for both of them to know when he would come back, because he could fight for that day. But, when would that be? He would still fight for that day, even though he didn't know when it would be.

 

"I know," Namine admitted quietly, looking down at the carpet. This situation was being fair to either of them, and no matter how badly they wanted to change things around to suite them better, it just wasn't possible.

 

Roxas turned his head to look at Namine, aware that even though she was speaking, it was no more than two words. He supposed he should have been prepared for something of the sort, but he wasn't--not for anything, any of this. "Nam?" he called gently, his voice showing that he was going to continue.

 

Namine looked up at the calling of her name, turning her head to face Roxas without thought. "Hm?" she hummed, her soft gaze staying on him. Judging by his tone of voice, it seemed like he had something that he wanted to say.

 

"Do you think..." Roxas started, having to look down at the small space between them at the thought, "things will change while I'm gone?" He paused for a moment, raising his sight to Namine with uncertainty, afraid that he even had to ask. "Between us?"

 

During the question, Namine was aware that she was holding her breath. She didn't know how, but she had guessed Roxas would ask something serious along those lines. But what was the answer? So much could change so quickly, and both of them knew that. Between them, though? They had always been strong when they were able to be together, but what about when they were apart? "...I don't know," Namine confessed softly, saddened by her answer.

 

Roxas slowly turned his head away at the answer, his eyes finding his shoes again. "Oh." He was scared of an answer like that, and it clearly showed by the way he looked down sadly at his feet. This whole situation was bad, so he should have at least expected something bad to happen between them throughout all of this.

 

"I hope not," Namine added quickly, seeing Roxas' saddened expression. She was completely honest with her answer; she and Roxas had never been apart for too long, so it was impossible to know how things would work out. But she did hope that things would be alright between them, she really did.

 

Roxas glanced back at Namine and nodded, his lips turning up into a very brief, very weak smile before becoming a line again. He turned his head back to stare at his feet, trying to contemplate all of this. What a mess...

 

Namine bit her lip lightly, seeing that Roxas was distressed. The fact that he had even asked the question meant that he had the same thoughts as her; he didn't know what would happen while he was gone. That thought scared both of them, especially Namine. She leaned over slightly and wrapped both of her arms around Roxas' arm that was closest to her, feeling like he needed a bit of comfort.

 

Roxas turned his head toward Namine at the touch, exhaling a soft breath with closed eyes. After a moment, he opened them to see her and gaze into the sky-blue eyes he had grown to love. With him going away, he wasn't going to be able to see her...at all. He couldn't even communicate with her. He knew a cell phone was out of the question, and they never had been able to speak through their hearts like Sora and Kairi did. It was simple: Roxas was out of luck. And not just over that, but everything.

 

Namine released a silent breath and leaned the top of her head against Roxas' shoulder, her eyes closing. There wasn't a thing either of them could say to make it better. Maybe in a day or two she'd be able to think of something, but not now while it was so fresh and shocking. Eventually, she hoped she'd find some way to encourage both of them.

 

Roxas leaned his head forward a little, kissing the top of Namine's blonde hair. He stayed there for a second, closing his eyes. When he left in a few days...that would be the last time he hugged her, talked to her, held her...kissed her. Told her that he loved her. Roxas pulled back after those thoughts ran through his mind, sighing softly. He wasn't sure how the departure was going to go, because it scared him...to leave Namine.

 

Namine furrowed her brows faintly and wrapped her arms around Roxas' a little more tightly at the soft sigh. She could only guess that he was feeling distressed over this...she was too. Until they day he left, they would be there for each other. Even after he left, she hoped they would be together in spirit.

 

Those thoughts disturbed Roxas. Too much. He lifted the arm that Namine wasn't holding and reached across his body to lay a hand on one of hers wrapped around him. He was going to be with her until he left, day and night. To think, that he couldn't do those things like he did everyday... It felt wrong to him, and he didn't like it.