#| the scientist ; even/vexen.

[puffballcat]

I found this while searching on Twitter and it’s been gnawing at my brain all day

[ossacruenta]

ic muse tags~ for all the bois

[cybertron-after-dark]

Im all for incredibly edgy, grimdark and serious tfp shattered glass content, don't get me wrong

But I will believe until the day I die that shattered glass tfp ratchet would be like a big metal version of vexen from kingdom hearts: unhinged skrunkly weirdo whos trying to lean into the mad scientist aesthetic and definitely getting unethical with it, but constantly gawking at the Sheer Amount of DISRESPECT he gets in this GODDAMN BASE.

Don't even get him STARTED on those grimy little organics infesting the place

[folkinsomnia]

i don't have any ships in mind to ask but... can i name a fandom instead and then you name the ship for each classification? 👀

if this is okay, the fandom is: kingdom hearts (blame my spotify randomly playing hikari)

GLADLY HELLO?!!

makes sense, compels me: sora/kairi, sora/riku, destiny island trio polycule, axel/roxas (prior to learning roxas was like a newborn in org 13 but LiSTEN 2008-era AkuRoku had me in theee strongest chokehd), naminé/repliku, axel/saïx but lea/isa even MORE, xemnas/saïx (evil man and evil second in command yes yes yes)

makes sense, doesn't compel me: axel/roxas (after learning roxas was like a newborn in org 13)

doesn't make sense, compels me: luxord/xigbar (i have read One Fic about them like twenty times), zexion/demyx AND ienzo/demyx (maybe they do make sense idk? kingdom hearts Doesn't Make Sense so it's hard to say), hell - zexion/everybody if it's written well (i had a Fixation as a teen okay??), kairi/selphie (i read like one thing once idk it was cute)

doesn't make sense, doesn't compel me: marluxia/naminé (i shipped it at age 13?¿), zexion/naminé (i shipped it AND wrote it when i was 13, it's still up on ff.net, it's bad and i had a whole songfic to the scientist by coldplay planned out where each line was a chapter title and vexen was there, awful stuff)

this is not exhaustive but i never posted it and i love the post so HERE SHE IS love you v<333

[yankaze]

KH OC week 2024 - Day 4: Dream Past.

I

Hajime is an experiment of one of Ansem the Wise's apprentices - Even. This experiment with Unversed was hidden from others and was inspired by Ansem the Wise's research, and later by the interest of one of the other apprentices, Xehanort.

???

The experiment was only half successful: the successful part is that the Unversed now has a human form and the subject has a heartbeat, but the heart rate was much lower than normal. The unsuccessful part is that the subject was in a coma.

Even considered the experiment a failure, as he believed "the heart failed to take hold". Hajime was left in the same room where he was created, and all reports of this failure were destroyed. Even concluded that Hajime would likely die after a while with such a low heart rate, either from complete cardiac arrest or some other dysfunction of an imperfect heart or a weak body. Several times after that, the scientist came to make sure, but the heart still beat at its own rhythm, it seemed strange, but it still did not give hope and after some time it was forgotten and erased from memory as an unsuccessful attempt at experiments with the heart.

II

While the Hajime's body was left to die naturally, something was happening inside him that would make him the character we would later know. He was about to take a long, arduous journey through the blurry horizons of his own heart.

Even, and at that time Vexen, will not know that the experiment was successful after all and after 10 years Unversed, gifted with a heart, will finally awaken from sleep.

@khoc-week

[archvillain]

i really loved @kurjakani's poll (please go vote in it first) so here's my version. pretend for the sake of this poll that they are all capable of giving you med care even though they might just be a scientist lmao.

also, in gaster's case, he WILL ghost on you & stop filling your meds when he's shattered across reality, so keep that in mind

[phylumhearts]

I think one of my fave things about vexen is that a lot of tropes he evokes are like cold, unfeeling, aloof icy amoral scientist kind of stuff, and I think he would probably like to be or at least be seen that way, but then when pretty much anything happens he cares so much and is very bothered by it and does so in ways that are rarely aloof or even dignified. it's a fun twist on a classic archetype that in some ways gets back to the frankenstein-y roots of the mad scientist character trope and I find it very compelling

[halfmaskshadow]

God isn’t ready for my new Video Game Conspiracy™ (and neither is my friend group, unfortunately) but maybe y’all are

(btw this is like a full essay so I’m adding a break)

Okay so Kingdom Hearts characters are often based on established Final Fantasy characters, right?

This is really obvious is some cases, like with Wakka, Tidus, and Selphie basically being directly ripped from their respective games and given island kid reskins

Or with Leon/Squall, Yuffie, Aerith, Cid, Cloud, and Sephiroth all being given reworked backstories and put in

But sometimes the inspiration is more subtle

Like with Larxene/Elrena being inspired by Elena

(Note the tie on Elrena and the EXTREMELY similar names)

Or with Axel presumably being based off of Reno, even being given a similar personality

And how they’re all part of shady organizations with a set uniform, vaguely spy inspired tactics, and unique weapons

(Also the orgs while “finding hearts and changing names because they feel like they changed too much kind of ties into some of ff7’s overall themes of identity and the way your allies/friends/family change the way you perceive yourself but that isn’t super important to this discussion)

What is important is this:

Look at Grimoire. Note Grimoire’s center part, long-ish hair, and the way his chin juts out a little. Puzzle over the fact that he’s a scientist adjacent. Let it stew in your brain for a bit

Now look at young Vincent. Look at the way his hair lays on his face. Look at his silhouette

These two remind you of anyone?

BOOM

Now any viewer hearing this might say “man they’re reaching. The evidence seems pretty superficial,” too which I say…. You know what that is totally fair. But rationally only stops me a quarter of the time and this is not that

Now we all know KH is Nomura’s baby, so he presumably did most of not all of the character designs. He’s also well known for doing the big character designs in Final Fantasy 7, so it doesn’t seem implausible for him to have taken some inspirations

Additionally, Re:Chain of Memories came out around a year after Dirge of Cerberus

(Original CoM came out like 2 years before, but it was in pixel art, and it isn’t crazy to claim they were in development/early concept at the same time. And who know, maybe Grimoire was based in Vexen/Even and not the other way around)

(The rest of this post is just extra info so you can skip it if you want)

I omitted adult Ienzo because he’s only in Unreal, and the switch had some pretty big facial structure changes for the org, as exemplified by Luxord

Also it might just be that older men were just Modeled Like That™ but it doesn’t really apply to the other org members so who knows

Anyway here’s a gallery of images that were omitted because they are either in totally different engines or just not relevant bcuz of time period

Anyway all this is to say there’s a decent chance Ienzo will look like THIS

in a future game

Thank you for coming to my TED talk

[mythicalartistx]

Repliku undeserving Death

You know what actually makes me so mad, is Repliku's death in kh3.

Like as sweet and beautiful it is, he shouldn't die like that.

It's so sad after what his life became. He was used and his memories were messed up because of the organization kinda like Sora in COM but his stayed like that and then he sacrifices his life for Namine in KH3.

He ask og Riku to carry his wishes out and use his body for Namine.

Side note

OG Riku literally doing a favor for Repliku and doesn't like Namine in a romantic way.

This is canon, Nomura actually stated that Riku doesn't like Namine.

Repliku does, og Riku doesn't

But it's so frustrating because they got Vexen on their side now.

THEY CAN MAKE MORE REPLICA DOLLS

I never really liked Vexen but if THEY HAVE REPLIKU BACK THAT WOULD BE REDEEMING.

He is just some annoying old scientist who cares about experiments and not the affect they have on people, it's sorta a similar reason why I don't like Ansem the Wise

His original "death" in COM doesn't annoy me. I'm okay with it. But here it's just sad because it's miserable and the reason he decides to give up his body is for Namine, but they could be together because Vexen or Even is on their side now.

And that just makes me mad

[ofradiantgardens]

| local pretty scientist too TOL for computer. deserves free chiropractor visit.

[waterdanced]

alright, folks, strap in for another theory rambling from syd: demyx edition

what we know about demyx:

not much

(that's, like, partially facetious but also true. all we really know is that he's connected to some ancient keyblade legacy. on top of that, though, there are some observations we can make:)

his death in kh2 has him in a weird pillar of light only shared slightly with xigbar

i trust him when he says he's not a scientist

his title is the melodious nocturne in en and nocturnal poem in jp

his element is water, which has been heavily associated with darkness as a metaphor in kingdom hearts

now, let's set aside demyx for a second to discuss the master of masters — and no, this theory isn't one of those theories about them being the same or whatever. i have taste.

the landi lodge on youtube posits that the master of masters may very well be light itself, and i'm inclined to agree; the fact that he says "the truth is what you see with your eyes, not what you hear," only for the screen to flash with light when his name is blanked from being heard is almost evidence enough, but compound that with my outdated theory about him being kingdom hearts itself... i feel it makes sense. what we also know about the master of masters is that he once had friends in a time long ago who fell in another keyblade war, and darkness is his long-time enemy.

there is also a lot of christian imagery going into mom and the foretellers, given the seven deadly sins and whatnot. i promise this is relevant.

one more important detail: one of the thirteen true darknesses is currently unaccounted for.

now, let's get back to demyx and what i think about him:

let's take one possibility for his true name, edym, and consider that it's an alternative spelling of adam. adam was created by god, famously known as a being of light.

let's consider that edym — possibly like luxu, possibly like the foretellers, if you let me be very insane — may very well have been a creation of the master of masters in an era long past. they may be connected in a way without being the same person. consider edym as a prototype replica (which would work narratively given all his talking points and plot involving the replicas), maybe even with, somehow, a piece of the master in him to kickstart his existence — sort of similar to the concept of a nobody. it would explain his light pillar at death, and it would explain his haha, yeah, no dismissal of being a scientist. it would also explain his ancient keyblade legacy. it might even explain why he knows nobodies do have hearts, which no one is aware of canonically.

consider him one of mom's original friends, thought lost in the war. consider him becoming a vessel for the missing darkness and how that would be such a painful insult and personal attack to the master of masters while also explaining his affinity for water, so often linked to darkness. it would also explain the nocturne/nocturnal part of his titles, given that nothing else about demyx really fits that description whereas most of the others at least fit who they're assigned to.

there is also the fact that vexen comments about "men like us, men of science," when speaking to demyx... which is certainly not accurate for vexen's perception of demyx. but consider that vexen/even has displayed a very sharp intuition before in being able to tell that ventus is a heart of pure light, so perhaps he's picking up on something about demyx's past and true nature.

this would all even, in a way similar to how xigbar set off mom-similarity warning bells in others before that reveal, explain what similarities are there between demyx and the master.

i've talked about my theories for luxord and how those would put him around the missing link era, but i don't think mom's original era would be mentioned if it wouldn't also be relevant. demyx having a personal connection to the master of masters would add another layer to the way he's often seen with xigbar, as well.

and all this said, demyx could still very well have ended up quadratum, thus making him a duo with luxord still despite being from different eras.

i hope all of this makes sense. i could definitely spend more time on it to make it more cohesive, but... this is what y'all get.

[firestorm09890]

In Re: Chain of Memories most of the Organization members have a cutscene named after them in the format of “[character] the [epithet]” but not Axel and Marluxia because they’re special and yknow what the easiest way to go about it is probably to go through them in order before I try to talk about anything- here’s all the cutscene titles that directly reference or name Organization members

The Smiling Siren (first cutscene featuring Larxene) Larxene the Ruthless (meeting Sora) Larxene’s Sneer (before Larxene 2)

Vexen the Scientist (first cutscene featuring him) I am Vexen (meeting Sora) Vexen’s End (death cutscene) Vexen’s Replica (tbh this one doesn’t count for what I’m talking about bc it’s about the replica not Vexen but his name is in it so I had to record it)

Marluxia’s Graceful Blade (first cutscene where we see his face)

Axel vs. Marluxia (Axel and Marluxia fight) Axel’s Dancing Flames (before Axel 2) Axel Vanishes (“death” cutscene)

Lexaeus the Taciturn (meeting Riku)

Zexion the Tactician (the one where he decides eh this is Vexen’s problem which is a tactful move i guess????) The Tactician’s Move (Axel and Zexion convo) The Tactician’s End (Zexion death cutscene)

Got It Memorized? (the one where Axel first shows up) is also very obviously an Axel trademarked cutscene but it doesn’t have his name or an epithet for him in it, it’s just his catchphrase, so it’s kind of a different thing, but I think it’s worth mentioning

Larxene the Ruthless, Vexen the Scientist, Marluxia’s Graceful Blade, Axel’s Dancing Flames, Lexaeus the Taciturn, and Zexion the Tactician all have some sort of reference to their respective titles in the Organization, kinda (Savage Nymph/Callous Vixen, Chilly Academic, Graceful Assassin/Graceful Assassin’s Blade, Flurry of Dancing Flames, Silent Hero/Taciturn Stalwart, Cloaked Schemer/Shadow-walking Tactician) and god as I’m writing this I’m realizing what a huge missed opportunity it was to not call Larxene the Savage Siren, she’s much more like a siren than a nymph- ANYWAY

I think the inconsistencies in this are interesting. They’re more important than the others, yes, but there are so few Org members here that wouldn’t it have been more organized to give Axel and Marluxia a “[character] the [epithet]” title too? How come Zexion carries his epithet of Tactician with him to the end while Vexen doesn’t get to keep being referred to as Scientist? The answer is no one respects Vexen enough, not even the guys who named a cutscenes. That’s a joke the real answer is that they probably didn’t think about the cutscene titles at all. Doesn’t mean I can’t think about it though. I also think it’s interesting how Zexion’s referred to as Tactician even though in localization he’s the Schemer. honestly i should make another post talking about orgxiii titles

[cielomist]

This is very much not april fools related i genuinely want to hear your thoughts /srs but i am begging you can i Pls have a full ass rant abt all your vexen thoughts im backreading through propaganda and youre making me go OUGH - @fuckable-kh-men-battle

HOUGH

i want to preface this by saying i am not super articulate, i am very much a person that just rotates characters in my head at high speeds and doesn't form super coherent thoughts, but by god i know i have a lot of vexen thoughts its just gonna take some time to put them into like, understandable words

under a cut bc im sure its gonna get long. also im sorry that this is so incredibly disorganized.

OK SO

i have loved vexen. ever since i was a kid. i never even played com i just saw him in the kh2 journal and was like "THAT ONE"

(i was also deep in the like… 2009-era deviantart kh fandom, but… 😬)

but getting into the deeper stuff, vexen has this fun little dichotomy of somehow being incredibly cringefail but also EXTREMELY accomplished. he brags about how smart he is, he giggles to himself about it in the castle in days, and it comes across as this pathetic little man just being full of himself, but he also can like, legitimately back it up? he just MADE another riku. he MADE xion, and xion is absolutely extraordinary because she was not supposed to develop as her own person, but he was just so damn good at making just real ass PEOPLE that xion became her own person with her own thoughts and feelings and dreams

one of my favourite scenes is this one. first of all i live for all interactions between vexen/even and zexion/ienzo because GOD. i'm fucking obsessed with dad!even as a concept and i love thinking of the dynamics between ienzo and all his dads and i need to stop myself here or i'm gonna go off on a whole other tangent about ienzo specifically and how fucked his entire life was--

anyway that scene is one of my favs because i just love vexen running through the castle, yelling for his son, because his boss is actively avoiding him. i just assume this is how it always is with him.

also it's been pointed out that vexen, when talking with zexion, will often bend so he's eye level with him and i love that. i adore that.

also speaking of vexen/even and zexion/ienzo, THIS

god sorry i just read ienzo's character file and he mentioned even would scold atw for buying ienzo so much ice cream and i love that mental image. atw is literally king of radiant garden and even's bitching him out for spoiling his 8-year-old

and god VEXEN'S CHARACTER FILE... "I had lost sight of why I wanted to be clever in the first place. I wanted to be clever because I wanted to be helpful to someone." HHHHHHHH even became a scientist in the first place because he waanted to HELP PEOPLE and he got in this spiral of "i need to be smart to help people" and he worked HARD to become smarter and eventually dropped the "to help people" presumably because of xehanort and then when he was recompleted the first time he REMEMBERED WHY he wanted to do all the things he wanted to do in the first place, and in order to help people he gave up his heart, his humanity, what the original organization had been WORKING TOWARDS THE WHOLE TIME and i just. ough.

also in birth by sleep even talks to ven for like, two minutes maximum and from that is able to just deduce that ven's heart is not only completely devoid of darkness, but also that any darkness he DID have was forcibly removed. i don't know where to fit this tidbit in but i think about it a lot.

i mentioned in one of my propaganda asks a post that theorized about vexen's shield, and while i still can't find that post i did remember a fic i read based of of it

i somehow don't have coherent thoughts on his redemption arc in kh3. i get distracted by how pretty he looks when he says he wants to atone i think. but his little monologue when he's trying to convince demyx to help him out... ough. i am personally of the opinion that even was the apprentice with an actual like, medical phd. i think all of the apprentices specialized in different things, and i don't really have a solidified idea for anyone else (though dilan is shown to like flowers in his character file, though i think that gardening is a hobby for him rather than his professional field) but that's my Even's Professional Career headcanon. he absolutely has the entire ICD manual memorized. and rememorizes it every time it updates.

i also think post-kh3 when he was re-humaned he just straight up euthanized himself to be recompleted. he didn't want to wait to regrow a heart and it beat the hell out of immolation, axel

anyway i really wish people wouldn't reduce vexen/even to just being a creepy weirdo; he has SO MUCH to him, but ultimately i think people overlook him because he's not an anime prettyboy and i and the other vexenfuckers are stronger and smarter and sexier than everyone else

for now that's all i've got. if i think of more things i will rb with more vexen thoughts. thank u for your patience as i go insane writing this. <3

(fun fact! when i was in middle school (maybe high school?) i set his japanese laugh as my alarm and to this day i remember it bleeding into one of my dreams via a man in a parking lot laughing at me until i woke up and realized it was my alarm going off for school)

[midnight0stars]

Could i request a vexen/f!reader ficlet where its their first time? I'm also happy with headcanons if they are more fun for you :D I just imagine a lot of awkward fluff with both of them clumsy and inexperienced lol (tysm for all the lovely writing you guys do, it's always a joy to see any posts on here <3 )

I was so excited to write this the moment I saw it!

So much so that it got a bit away from me and I'm splitting it into two parts. I really ran with the awkward fluff and nearly 1.5k words in I realized that Vexen was not ready for things to go further. I started the scene too soon apparently lol! But I was so into what I wrote that I'm keeping it.

There's no smut in this first part, but a lot of sweet lead up to ease them into it and be comfortable. I hope you enjoy! <3

--------------------------------------------

Rest ~ VexenxFem!Reader

Part 1 of 2

Words: 1946

--------------------------------------------

Your quarters were a welcome sight after the day you’d been having. A dull ache throbbed through your head, making the backs of your eyes hurt. You leaned against your bedroom door, taking a deep, long breath. The bed seemed to be calling your name; its plush comforter and the multitude of pillows beckoned you to bury your face and forget the world existed for just a little while. But then there was the shower, a chance to ease your bruised body and tense muscles. Both seemed enticing, but also had the unfortunate reality that you had to actually walk to them and your legs were pretty firm with not being moved anymore. 

Before you could decide a quick succession of knocks broke you out of your dazed stupor. You sighed, eyes sliding shut. You long since memorized the way Vexen rapped the back of his knuckles against a door—impatient, yet also excited in his own little way. Usually you’d be jumping at the chance to talk with him. But after a day like today… 

Another knock and you licked your lips, forcing yourself off the wall. You shook your head and your shoulders, attempting to seem put together before you opened the door to the fidgeting and distracted scientist. 

“Ah, there you are, Y/N,” Vexen greeted, immediately coming into your room before you could get a word in. “I have been meaning to discuss our latest experiment. You see, I ran into some unforeseen difficulties with extracting the heart from—”

“Vex,” you sighed, attempting to talk over him. 

As if he didn’t hear you—as he often didn’t when he was in the zone—he continued on. He paced around your room, his expressions, his hands, moving animatedly and excitedly as he talked about his findings. On a normal day, you would have loved to listen to every word, but today… You watched him, the sound of his voice grating on your growing migraine. Your hands ran up your arms and you felt the helpless frustration bubbling inside your chest until you couldn’t keep it in. 

“Vexen! Stop!” you yelled suddenly, grabbing his shoulders. Vexen startled into silence. With a heavy breath, you rested your head against his chest. “Look, I’m…I’m sorry, it’s just been a really long day and…” 

Your voice trailed off as you looked up at him. He averted his gaze, his ears reddened with embarrassment. 

“Vex—” you started.

“No, it’s alright,” he stopped you, putting a hand over yours. “I should know better than to barge into your private quarters and talk incessantly. I let my enthusiasm get the best of me.” 

“And that’s something I really like about you,” you admitted with a lopsided smile when he dared to look back at you. “Like, a lot.”

He exhaled softly through his nose, matching your smile. “Though, I suppose there is a proper time and place. If you would prefer to be alone, I understand and will come back at a later time.”

He stepped back, your hands sliding off his shoulders and back to your side. Just a few steps and he’d be at your door and you’d be alone to rest however you wished. Even with the promise of silence, you realized you didn’t want him to go. Backing up, you shut the door, leaning your back against it and blocking his way out. Vexen’s head tilted in adorable confusion and you looked to your feet. 

“Actually, I’d like you to stay,” you admitted. “If you wouldn’t mind.”

“O-Oh,” he stammered, straightening his lab coat. “I suppose that could be possible. I will be sure to keep discussion of my work to a minimum.”

You chuckled softly and Vexen walked to you, hesitantly reaching for your hands.

“Now,” he looked down at your clasped hands while he talked, “what do you need from me?”

The dull emptiness in your chest swelled. It was one of those sensations that blatantly reminded you of your lack of a heart, but also provided a remnant of what it was like to have one. And it was addicting. 

Vexen drew his eyes up to meet yours, patiently awaiting your answer. Without a reply, you leaned forward and closed the distance between your lips. A short muffled gasp squeaked out of Vexen, but he slowly kissed you back. An icy breath tickled your heated lips and you squeezed his hands before breaking the kiss and smiling sheepishly. 

“Sorry,” you breathed. 

He exhaled with a huff, a grin cracking across his lips. “N-Not at all.”

“I don’t know what I need,” you admitted with a near whisper. “I just want you here.”

A warmth rushed up Vexen’s neck, reddening his pale skin. Swallowing, he nodded. “Perhaps then, we should rest.”

You nodded emphatically before the words even finished leaving his mouth and Vexen stifled a chuckle, a fogged icy breath puffing out between his lips. Releasing his hands, you walked over to your bed and pulled back the covers. You looked down at your black coat, realizing you needed to take it off. Looking over your shoulder at Vexen, he seemingly realized the same about his own coat. 

It wasn’t as if neither of you had seen the other without the coat before. There were late nights spent in the Gray Room, both of you in casual attire and cups of steaming tea to sip on while you talked the night away. Or when Vexen would walk by during one of your training sessions. You’d caught him staring more than once before he’d avert his eyes and rush off.  

This seemed different though—undressing in front of each other, even if it was just taking off coats to your pants and undershirt.

Unless he wasn’t wearing a shirt underneath. 

You mentally scolded yourself. Of course he was wearing one. Vexen of all people would hate the texture of the metal zipper against his bare skin. He was particular about that sort of thing. It was one of those quirks you loved about him. You smiled to yourself, fiddling with your zipper between your fingers. 

Vexen cleared his throat, bringing you out of your distracted thoughts. You looked over your shoulder at him and he raised a brow, silently asking if you were alright. With a soft smile, you pulled down the zipper to your coat, allowing the leather to slide to the floor. Vexen’s eyes followed the heavy fabric falling away and you shivered under his gaze, even though so much clothing still remained. He followed suit, taking off his lab coat first and folding it over the back of your couch. Then his Organization coat. He seemed flustered under your stare, so you moved to the side of the bed and got to work taking off your boots. 

You heard the fabric slinking to the floor and stole a glance over to see him folding the coat. His back was to you, his undershirt tighter than you expected it would be. You supposed with wearing two coats a thinner undershirt would be preferable. But goodness, you weren’t expecting the way the shirt accentuated his shoulders. 

Was he always that muscular?

You pushed away the thought and laid down. Those weren’t the thoughts to have when it was your first time sharing a bed with him. It had taken months after confessing your feelings for each other before the two of you even shared a kiss. Whatever lewd thoughts swirled around in your mind and trickled down to the rest of your body had to be stamped down. At least for now.  

Your eyes slid shut as the bed creaked and shifted from Vexen’s weight. A chill washed over your side, even after Vexen pulled up the plush comforter to your neck. Both of you laid there, side by side, but not quite close enough to touch. Silence stretched between you, other than the occasional thud of footsteps outside in the hall or your trembling breaths. 

Then you felt icy fingertips gently prod at your hand. The corner of your mouth tipped into a smile. Even after all this time, Vexen was so careful with initiating contact. You moved your hand over his, your fingers lacing together. The chill of his skin yielded to your warmth and you heard Vexen release a long sigh, making your smile grow. 

Opening your eyes, you turned your head to look at him. He stared up at the ceiling, unmoving but relaxed. 

“Hey,” you greeted with a whisper.

He turned his attention to you and softened. “Hello,” he said in return. “Is this what you wanted?”

You giggled, turning to your side completely. “Yes.”

He smiled and looked back up at the ceiling before closing his eyes. “Good.”

You continued to look at him, your eyes dancing over his face and the way the blanket framed him on your bed. That little fact still got to you—on your bed. It made the empty ache in your chest throb. 

Your other hand trailed up his forearm and you could feel the goosebumps appear on his skin in the wake of your fingertips. A soft sigh exhaled from his chest and you were suddenly noticing just how amazing his arm muscles felt. Swallowing hard, you drew back your hand. 

Not.The.Time.

You looked at him, your hand clenched in front of your chest as if it were in a timeout. 

Not the time…right?

Suddenly you weren’t so sure why it wasn’t the time. You scooted closer to him, until his arm was flush against you. Vexen sucked in a breath, the chill returning and emanating off his skin. A red hue colored the tips of his ears. 

“This is what I wanted, actually,” you muttered.

A shaking breath escaped Vexen in the form of an icy cloud of mist. He squeezed your hand, his fingers more like thin blocks of ice than skin. “I-I see.” His voice came out as more of a raspy squeak than anything intelligible. 

“Is...that alright?” you asked softly, ready to move back. “If I’m overstepping—”

“No,” Vexen replied quickly. He kept his eyes closed and remained perfectly still, spare for the way his thumb caressed your fingers. “...No, I-I am alright.” He choked out a laugh and licked his lips. “I apologize for my fridgedness. I assure you it is not from a lack of wanting.”

You ran your free hand up along his arm and rested your head against the nape of his shoulder.  Vexen’s breath shook. 

“I understand,” you assured him. “I won’t go any further until we’re both comfortable.”

He swallowed hard and nodded, unable to bring himself to answer verbally. You held true to your word and remained there without pressing him any further. Minutes passed, and the chill of his skin settled and eventually dissipated completely. You slid in and out of lucid dreaming. Vexen occasionally squeezing your hand brought you out and made that empty part in your chest swell. 

After a long while, you weren’t sure how long, Vexen released your hand. You woke up with a start and waited to see what he planned to do. He moved his arm around you and sleepily pulled you closer. 

You could nearly burst!

He mumbled something sweet in his sleep, though you couldn’t quite make out what it was, and then softly snored. Your eyes danced over him, a tired smile across your face. With a yawn, you laid back down completely and rested your head on his chest. The smallest rise of cold in his chest reacted, but after a couple breaths it simmered back down and it didn’t take long for you to fall asleep in his arms.   

[kittyandco-archive]

2, 5 & 8??

THANK YOUUU -- i really want to talk about vexen (he would lose it if we went to halloween town)

2. is your f/o from a horror movie/game/series? if not, would you make an AU where they were (like a vampire AU or something similar)?

if you think about it too hard, kingdom hearts can lean into some scary elements, honestly. (vexen contributes partially to this because i mean??? the unethical experimentation??? human clones???)

i have an AU where that's basically all he does. it's further removed from the KH context, though. and maybe i could be his not-quite-as-unethical assistant 👉👈 who is in love with him 👉👈 even though it's messed up 👉👈 morals??? standards??? nowhere to be found

i'm a sucker for a good mad scientist story and he's perfect for it

5. what is your f/o's costume this year? tell us yours too!

he would NOT want to do the costume thing but i beg him to 😭 i wouldn't want to push him too far out of his comfort zone though. maybe just put a pair of cat ears on him and we can match

8. if your f/o is from a series that has a special halloween episode, please tell us about it and how your s/i fits into it!

AGAIN I'M PONDERING what if he took me to halloween town and we just went into complete nerd mode with dr. finklestein and we observed all the undead-but-not-quite inhabitants of the town

halloween self ship asks

[yzafre]

we're flying above the valley below | Ch 8

AO3

First | Previous

The first breath was like a revelation.

Easy, weightless – she’d forgotten what it was like to breathe with her own lungs, no pressure eating at her heart, no Darkness digging into her.  It was almost too easy, too pure, and she nearly panicked, digging down deep but no, he was fine, that little shard of shifting grey still nestled against her heart.

Hitoshi...

Her next breath shuddered through her, tainted by bittersweet longing, hope and despair tangling together in the aftertaste.  Nothing would be changed by lying here; bracing herself, she slowly opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was her mirrored face staring down at her, anticipation glowing in matching blue eyes, and she couldn’t help but smile.

“Kairi.”

Kairi laughed, leaning in closer, “Good morning, Naminé.”

She made room as Naminé sat up, Sora peering eagerly over her shoulder.  Donald and Goofy were back against the wall of the room, staying out of the way as a man in a white coat bustled around the room.  After checking several screens, he turned to her with a clip board, and Naminé couldn’t help flinching back.

“Everything looks fine, but how do you feel?  Any abnormalities?”

Was the tone the same, or was it the echoes of her past?  Brusque, precise, distant – she had been in this situation too many times, answering questions she didn’t understand.  Her throat closed up.  When no answer was forthcoming, Zexion looked up, faltering at whatever he saw on her face.

“Ah.  Right, I suppose I should have...” he trailed off, shoulders drooping.  He fidgeted with the clipboard briefly before placing it down, approaching almost shyly.

The scientists at Castle Oblivion were never shy.

“I would like to apologize,” he said, head bowed, “For the way we treated you at Castle Oblivion.  It was... horribly wrong.  Please, let me make it up to you.”

Naminé swallowed around a lump in her throat, hand trembling as Kairi reached out to hold it.  Zexion wasn’t even the worst of them.  She barely remembered him, honestly, compared to Vexen, Marluxia, or Larxene, who were her main captors after she was released from those first weeks of experiments.  But still... how should she feel about this?  How could she answer?

“....Okay.”

It was a relief to escape when she was done.  Even with Kairi hovering protectively over her, Sora watching the by-play in confusion, the memories pressed in close and claustrophobic around her.  She carefully moderated herself as they left, pressing her hands together and making sure she didn’t bolt the moment her path was clear.  Thankfully, Sora didn’t seem inclined to go slowly, eagerly bouncing into the lead as he chattered to them over his shoulder.

“Alright!  Next stop, Castle Oblivion, right?  We’re going to get Ventus.”

Castle Oblivion, Naminé mused.  Another memory she was unsure of returning to.  Kairi cast her a concerned glance, and she realized that the pause had gone on too long, that she was expected to respond.

“Right.”

Thankfully, Sora didn’t press, instead nodding and turning to Donald and Goofy.  “What about you guys?  What are you doing next?”

“We just got back with the second princess, so we’re done until they find the next one,” Donald said proudly, “When we heard it was time to wake Naminé up, we decided to stay and say ‘hello’.”

Goofy nodded, “And we thought you might need a ride.  Naminé doesn’t have a Keyblade to transform, after all.”

“Oh, I didn’t think of that,” Sora said.

“Of course you didn’t,” Donald said, “That’s why you have us.”

“Hey.”

They were almost out the door when Dilan crossed their path, silent but staring intently.  When they paused, waiting to see what he wanted, he turned to Kairi.

“The Princesses have been requesting to speak with you.”

“Oh.  We were... just about to leave.”

“The Princesses need guidance.  They are unsure, at a loss and uneasy in their power.”

“Uhm.”

“Well, I wouldn’t put it like that,” Donald groused, ”But...”

Goofy nodded, “They were a bit uncomfortable, leaving everything they know.  Talking to someone who is like them – someone who understands their situation and can explain things better – might put their minds at ease.”

Kairi pressed her lips together, looking away, but eventually sighed.

“...Okay.  Take me to them.”

“We can wait,” Sora said weakly, but Kairi shook her head.

“No.  You need to get Ventus as soon as you can.  And... I’m not really needed for that, am I?  I’ll meet up with you after, okay?”

Kairi, Naminé thought, aching for her sister-heart, watching as she and Sora exchanged messages between their eyes, their hands pressing together then slowly detangling.

“Okay,” Sora said, and Naminé yearned for a world where partings weren’t required.

The ride to Castle Oblivion was quiet.

Slower than she was used to, for sure.  The longer the silence stretched on between the four of them, the more she considered opening a corridor and being done with it.  But then she would breathe, feel the clarity in her lungs, the lack of weight in her chest, and remember that this was a chance she couldn’t waste by being reckless.

Donald and Goofy muttered quietly to themselves up front.  Sora had become the default driver eventually, she knew, but this time he sat beside her in the back.  Every now and then he would shift a bit, turn to her, turn away.  She wondered how long it would take him to speak up.

“Naminé,” he started suddenly, turning to face her with those piercing blue eyes, “I wanted to say... thank you.  I don’t really remember it, but you helped us out a lot.  Everyone says I wouldn’t be here without you.  So, thank you.”

She smiled wryly and shook her head, “There’s no need.  Really, I was just... cleaning up my own mess.”

“Well, if you won’t accept thanks for that, then – for Riku, and Kairi.  It sounds like you were really there for them, when I couldn’t be.”

“That’s...”

How could Naminé not help her other self, after everything?  And Riku...

Riku was complicated; she had a feeling he felt the same way.  They were allies of circumstance, their goals aligning just enough to work together, both of them dancing to the tune of DiZ’s machinations for lack of any other direction.  She didn’t see Riku often, during that year.  And when she did, well...

When you look at me, you don’t see me, do you? She’d asked once.  He hadn’t been able to answer, which that was all the reply she needed, and she’d told him so.

It’s okay.  After all – when I look at you, I don’t see you, either.

They didn’t hate each other, but they couldn’t help that each other’s very presence worked as salt in a wound.

But she couldn’t say that, could she?

After all the lies of omission and carefully crafted truths, what could one more hurt?

“Okay,” she said, “Then, you’re welcome.”

Sora smiled warmly at her. 

The Castle was just as cold and austere as she remembered.  Axel had left directions to where Ventus disappeared – the floor number, really – and with her knowledge of the castle, it didn’t take long to get to the right place.

The door buzzed against her senses as she approached it, the others trailing behind.  She could feel the bite of the thought that made up the inner rooms the moment she pressed her hand to the wide panel, the way it swirled and raged like a storm, restless, hungry.

“This memory comes with intent,” she realized, “He needs to resolve it, or it will never let him go.”

“But then, how are we going to get him out?”

Naminé hummed thoughtfully, tracing a finger along the seam of the door, “Sometimes, people just need a little help to break up the noise.  I did this for you once, you know?”

“You did?”

“Mhm.  For Riku, too.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to help this time, as well.”

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, and let herself fall into the memory.

This was what Ventus knew:

He lost everyone.  Despite their best efforts, the Darkness won, a glitch in the system that followed them the whole time, and now the others were...

He couldn’t remember their names, every scrap of knowledge slipping away if he tried to force it.  If he let them go, though, he could almost feel them, bright-lead and sharp-guide and determined-companion and drifting-searcher.

He knew they were lost, and that it was his fault.

He knew he was never supposed to be there.

Blood on pink hair and hands around his throat and Darkness spilling out of him, spilling his own Light in a desperate attempt to make this right.

He knew this war had been going on for much, much longer than any of them realized.

But what he didn’t know, was…

He didn’t know how it ended.  He didn’t know what happened to his friends, to the Dandelions, to his first home.

He didn’t know if he could escape it.

But in the end, the most terrifying thing was:

He knew he needed to enter the house he’d fled.

Ventus did not enter the house.

He went to it, stood on the doorstep, even reached for the handle, but -

But.

He couldn’t do it.  Bad things happened there, in the dark.  He knew it.  That’s how it all started, how could he - ?

But there was nowhere else to go.  The city was still empty, and deep in his heart, Aqua was still –

Distance-can't touch-covered in helplessness and emptiness and despair

– silent.

So he sat on the stairs, knees tucked up under his chin, staring at the door as the sun set.

That’s how she found him.

She appeared between one breath and the next, sitting on the stairs beside him in a white dress, pale hair framing an open face., the sun painting her all over in pink and yellow.  He froze, afraid she would disappear if he dared to move, dared to look, agony ripping through him.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw her look around, look down, taking herself in, before turning to stare at him.  He kept his eyes determinedly fixed on the door of that house.  When he didn’t react to her, she turned, joining him in his vigil.

The wind whistled down the streets.

“Are you going to go in?” she asked.

“I don’t want to,” he admitted.

“What are you so afraid of?”

“What if, when I come out... I’m not myself?  If I lose another piece of me?”

“But,” she asked, “Will you ever really be yourself, if you stay here?”

He hunched further in on himself.

“I’m still scared.”

“Hm.  I’ll go with you.”

“No,” he said, the world leaping out of him, “You shouldn’t.”

“Why not?  Won’t it be easier, to not be alone?”

“But it’s not safe for you.”

He could hear her turning towards him, could imagine her frown, “Isn’t the same for you?”

“No. No, it’s... I’m the danger.  I killed you,” he rasped, and suddenly breathing was difficult, a pressure banded around his throat, choking him.

She paused, tilting her head.  He could just barely see her hair slipping down her shoulder, the wind catching it and sending it spiraling through the air.  He closed his eyes shut against it, he didn’t want to see it again – blood on pink hair and it's your fault and you forgot how could you how could you.

“Did you?” She asked, “Really?”

“I didn’t mean to,” he whispered, voice slowly gaining force, ”I didn’t want to!  But, the Darkness, it was...”

She sighed, “I see.  Did I blame you?”

“I don’t know,” he said, and he didn’t, he never even knew her, but, “Your brother did.”

Except...he didn’t in the end, did he?  The ghostly feeling of hands lifted from around his throat, and he gasped in a breath.  In the end, that guy, he...

“I think,” she said, “The real question is... can you forgive yourself?”

Forgive... himself?  He pressed a hand to his chest – the weight he carried, everyone he failed.  Her, her brother, his friends, his Flight.

“I know it’s heavy, but... if you never face it, how can you ever make it better?”

That was....

He turned fast, like ripping off a bandage.  He expected her to vanish like a ghost, to be left alone once more, but she remained.  Instead, it was like a veil lifted.  Soft blue eyes, long blonde hair, and she... wasn’t who he thought.  Wasn’t the person he hurt, all those years ago.  She didn’t belong here. 

He didn’t know her at all.  And yet, there was something...

“Have we met?”

“No,” she said with a wry smile, “Not us.”

“Ah,” he said, realization setting in, “I feel like I’m going to get a lot of that, now.”

“Yes.  There are many people waiting for you, you know?”

“Then I guess I better go meet them.  Staying here... it’s not going to change anything.  Right?”

“That’s true,” she smiled, offering her hand, “So, shall we go?”

With a shaky breath, he took her hand, letting her lead him to the door.  Slowly, hesitantly, he gripped the handle, her hand folding over his when he didn’t move.  She gave him one last encouraging smile, and together they turned the latch.

The door opened, and there was light.

Next