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[She puffs out her cheeks in a pout.] But that's--!

[Totally correct. She huffs, but eventually goes to sit down on whatever passes for furniture around here.]

Thanks, though. It's cozy, just like I thought it'd be.

It is kinda cozy, huh. [He gets up and joins her on the couch, setting the bag in her lap.] Well, uh. Merry Christmas.

[Yup. Inside the bag is a fuzzy scarf the color of cotton candy, and a small box wrapped in turquoise paper. Unwrapping the box and removing the lid, she will find a carved bone pendant on a braided cord.]

Thanks. Merry Christmas to you, too.

[She looks a little nervous when she begins to open the present, hoping it isn't something embarrassing or expensive. A scarf in her favorite color-- she can deal with that. It's fuzzy as hell.]

Ah, it's pink! [... Then she gets embarrassed anyway 'cause she sounds like a little girl.] Um, I mean, thanks.

[She'll get to the box in a moment.]

[Nahh, he saves the deliberate embarrassment for Riku. He smiles broadly when she seems pleased with the scarf.]

Well pink and purple kinda seemed like your favorite, and all, so I thought it'd go with your usual duds.

[He points to the bag.] One more, though.

Haha, okay. [She sets the scarf down, hands moving to the box. She unwraps it slowly. At last, she finds it, and marvels at it against her palm. It's nice and cool.]

A charm?

Necklace if you want, or just something to hang somewhere, if you prefer. I dunno if you wear much jewelry. It's called a... 'koru'. [He has to think a moment to conjure the unfamiliar word.] I got it when I went on a mission--the people on the island I went to believe they symbolize rebirth and strength. The, ah... [He makes a swirling motion with his finger over the spiral pendant.] The spiral indicates perpetual motion, all the while returning to the point of origin, is what I heard.

Cool thing is, it's made of bone, so if you wear it, it'll change color over time. They believed that a part of your soul would then be attached to the koru for all time, so it's like a little piece of immortality.

Kinda neat, huh?

Koru... [It sounds like something from Mizuho, but she's never heard of such a thing.] You know, it kinda reminds me of home. ... Thank you.

[She considers, then gently lifts the necklace over her head so the pendant rests against her collarbone.]

I don't mind wearing it. As long as I keep it short, it shouldn't get caught on anything.

[His nose crinkles just a little when he's really smiling, and there's definitely a crinkle here. He hadn't expected the pendant to remind her of home, that's a major bonus. He's always been fairly good at reading people, and he likes to think that he knows the important ones pretty well. He's glad his gifts have been well received. He doesn't really understand the origin of this holiday or the real significance of it, but it makes for a good excuse to do something nice for those who have made his stay in Exsilium a little easier, a little more worthwhile.]

I'm glad you like it. When I was told what it meant, it kinda made me think of you. Especially after, you know... what you told me when you got back. [He rubs the back of one hand absently, still a little unnerved by the concept of the Exsphere.] You're, ah. Well, you're one'a the strongest people I know. So I just thought... yeah.

[Aaaand now he's awkward. How the hell do you just tell somebody they're like a sister to you without sounding like a total cornball?]

[If he likes her smile, he'll love the way she casts her eyes downward, her expression softening further. It's tender and feminine despite the strong way she usually holds herself. She brushes her fingertips across the bone, then returns her hands to her lap.]

Heh. Me, strong? I must be a pretty good actor.

Until a couple years ago, I was worthless-- a total failure. No one wanted anything to do with me. [Her fingers lace together.] But things change. Sometimes it surprises me that I have people I can talk to, like you and Riku. I'm... I'm really grateful.

[For years, he never really gave much thought to smiling. He did it, sure, but he mostly wrote it off as an involuntary muscle memory sort of thing. Smiles didn't mean much when you had no heart, right? More recently, though, they're a lot more important. There's a lightness in his chest when he's really got something to smile about, so seeing that expression on other peoples' faces, it must mean they feel that too, right? It's a good feeling, and it's kind of nice to know he can evoke it in the people he cares about. Even if he's still fumbling and trying to get the hang of this.]

Ahh, that's the thing, though: [He wags a finger at her.] Failing doesn't make you weak. Not getting back up when you fall makes you weak. The people who keep trying when stuff is really bad? Those are the strong ones. [He could name a few of those.

[He chuckles then at her little confession and shakes his head.]

Honestly, if someone had told me a year ago that a day would come where I would consider anybody but Xion and Roxas friends, I prolly would have laughed. Considering somebody to be like family? That... I probably would'a passed out.

I spent a long time alone. [Well, he had Saïx, but that's basically like being alone, in most cases.] Almost forgot what it was like to trust anybody.

I didn't get up, not for years. Thinking about going back into the place scares me even though I know I don't have anything to fear. [She brushes her bangs aside.] But, you're right. I know a couple of people like that. They make everyone around them stronger. It's kinda crazy...

[She glances up at him for a moment.]

Family, huh? Yeah, friends are like family. I don't have any real family of my own except Grandpa.

Maybe it's too much to say this, but... since I moved in with you guys back then, I think-- I think you're the closest to family I'll ever get.

[Lea threads his hands behind his head and leans back against the couch.] Better late than never, says I.

[He won't bring up that he's not even sure if his parents are still alive. 'Family' isn't really something that's been on the table for him in a really long time. He shakes his head.]

Nah, it's not too much. The, ah... feeling's kinda mutual, to be honest. [He chuckles.] To think, Riku and I still kind of hated each other back then, and we didn't even know one another, you and I. [A shake of his head.] Funny how a few months can change everything.

[Sheena looks up, surprised but in a good way. She almost doesn't know how to react. Her fingertips brush across her lips, and then she laughs. It's a pleasant sound. She doesn't laugh nearly enough.]

I'm glad. I'm so glad that I met you, and Riku, and everyone.

[She touches the pendant.]

A few months can change everything. That's twice now.

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