For what it's worth, Axel doesn't begrudge the flinching--he knows they spent a good long while on opposite sides of the fence, and it's hard to unlearn these sorts of things. Even if Riku knows he's not going to hurt him on purpose, the kneejerk reactions are the strongest, and the most difficult to correct. Riku's reflexive guard is Axel's own fault, and he knows that.
He looks a little surprised by Riku's words then, and squints at him.
"I did all that?" he asks. "Er... do, all that, I guess?" It hasn't happened yet, from where he's standing. He rubs the back of his neck, looking a little awkward. "I'd like to say that sounds like me--I prefer to do the things I'm not directly asked to do, really. Who likes to be told what to do, right?--but... man, I'm really not sure what sounds like me, anymore." He shakes his head and frowns. "I think... I know who I want to be, at this point, but I'm not quite sure how to get there."
This sort of honesty doesn't come easily to him, at least not yet, but in the interests of furthering this tenuous alliance and--dare he say it?--friendship, he genuinely wants to prove himself. He knows he'll never reach Sora's level of trustworthiness, that's just an unattainable goal, but he's working on it.
Riku smiles faintly into his scarf: "Yea… you'll do that."
That much, Riku is certain. He knows that Sora has already spoiled Lea about the Keyblade wielding too, so there is no point in bringing that up as the next outrageous fact of Axel-Lea's future. He nods then, understanding.
"It's hard… not quite knowing how to be the person you know you can be… that you want to be, especially for the sake of other people."
That had been Riku before the exam too, when he had known about the residual Darkness in his Heart, when he hadn't known whether he'd be truly worthy… when Sora had been so certain and confident in them, while Riku had doubted.
"But I know, you'll get there… with or without your memories."
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He looks a little surprised by Riku's words then, and squints at him.
"I did all that?" he asks. "Er... do, all that, I guess?" It hasn't happened yet, from where he's standing. He rubs the back of his neck, looking a little awkward. "I'd like to say that sounds like me--I prefer to do the things I'm not directly asked to do, really. Who likes to be told what to do, right?--but... man, I'm really not sure what sounds like me, anymore." He shakes his head and frowns. "I think... I know who I want to be, at this point, but I'm not quite sure how to get there."
This sort of honesty doesn't come easily to him, at least not yet, but in the interests of furthering this tenuous alliance and--dare he say it?--friendship, he genuinely wants to prove himself. He knows he'll never reach Sora's level of trustworthiness, that's just an unattainable goal, but he's working on it.
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That much, Riku is certain. He knows that Sora has already spoiled Lea about the Keyblade wielding too, so there is no point in bringing that up as the next outrageous fact of Axel-Lea's future. He nods then, understanding.
"It's hard… not quite knowing how to be the person you know you can be… that you want to be, especially for the sake of other people."
That had been Riku before the exam too, when he had known about the residual Darkness in his Heart, when he hadn't known whether he'd be truly worthy… when Sora had been so certain and confident in them, while Riku had doubted.
"But I know, you'll get there… with or without your memories."
If nothing else, probably for Roxas' sake.