[Video, Open]

[small_reservations]

From: Hestia
Posted: July 27th

[The video cuts to Axel, smiling tiredly. He must be in bed, given that there are pillows behind him and he's covered up to his chest in sheets. It's all white, looks pretty idyllic.]

Sorry for that... Extended absence. I collapsed while caring for the sacred fire. Gave my shinki a bit of a scare.

[He laughs a little, but it turns into a cough.]

Basically, I burned myself out. Any of you have advice on what to do while you're supposed to be resting? I'd appreciate it; nice as this vacation is, I'm gonna go stir-crazy here.

Comments

[small_reservations]

Wow, it's true what they say. Denial is NOT just a river in Egypt.

[moonlitknight]

[ Zero is unimpressed. ]

If you want something to do, keep a better eye on your shinki.

He's up to something.

[ Now, Zero. How do you know that? ]

[small_reservations]

...What kind of something?

[moonlitknight]

I'm not his keeper.

[ Just his stalker. ]

[small_reservations]

Are you implying that I should be?

[moonlitknight]

You are.

[ Not 'should be'. ]

[small_reservations]

I trust him to take care of himself! I'm outnumbered, and he's a responsible kid! Takes good care of Ken, too.

[moonlitknight]

Don't pawn off your responsibilities on your shinki.

[ He's a god now, but before he woke up in the Temple of Hades, he was a shinki. All he can remember of that time is being alone with no one to turn too. His god neglected him and seeing you do the same to your shinki gets under his skin. ]

[small_reservations]

I don't, not really. I just want them to live their own lives.

[He knows objectively that he was a shinki, before, but has no memory of it. It's not something he thinks about a lot. Not something he likes thinking about. But now... Is he hurting his shinki, giving them free reign? He doesn't want to be oppressive, though...]

When I was... in a certain organization, I felt that I owed them everything, that I had nowhere else to go. And then they pressed too hard, ruined everything. I left. I'm not gonna pressure my shinki, I'm gonna give them the freedom they deserve.

[moonlitknight]

Taking care of someone doesn't mean you have to shackle them.

[ An image of Kaname and a girl he can't see comes to mind, but the memory is fuzzy and unclear. ]

[small_reservations]

Sometimes it's hard to avoid.

[Heavens know that his shinki are too loyal, too ready to attach themselves to him.]

With these two... I support them, but I want them to be independent, too, just in case.

[moonlitknight]

.....

[ A moment's pause. Just in case... Coupled with his last words, the conclusion is obvious and suddenly, he doesn't know why he didn't see it before. ]

You care about them.

[ More than he'd given him credit for. ]

[small_reservations]

[Axel pauses as well. Does he? He guesses he might? It's hard to tell... Can he care about stuff?

Well... he cared about Roxas, still does. And Saïx, in his way. But it's not something he wants to admit, when he's been hurt so much.]

... What makes you say that?