Ashton felt satisfied with the little sacrifice he'd made. These little barrels - along with the old jewelry he'd found in the pockets of his robe and the pendant that Celine, as a visitor, had given him - were his most treasured possession. It seemed only right that he give them to people he cared about, in turn. And he'd only just met Kairi, too. But.. if she was someone who made Axel happy, or at least helped him feel a glimpse of joy every once in a while, then she deserved it very much.

"You're welcome," he said with a smile to both of them. "But they're meant for eating, so eat them before you forget." Then he nodded, as if to finalize that.

Ashton pulled himself up from the bed then, as much as he was enjoying sitting between the two. He turned around to face them, and gave the slightest woman's bow, his hands folded in front of him. "Ah.. thank you. It seems somewhat like a night of terror tonight, doesn't it? I wonder which way I'll go, in that case.."

A woman with wings in the recreation yard or a brainwashed patient outside the blocks? Ashton didn't know which he'd rather run like heck around. He supposed he'd figure that out when he came to the fork in the road! ..Which would be only a minute or so from now, but that wasn't important..

"I hope you two have a very good night. It was a pleasure to meet you, Kairi! And feel free to give him a nice black eye if he tries anything."

With that, he made sure his twin swords were steady in the hilts at his sides, flicked on the flashlight that he'd only recently retrieved from Naminé, and walked briskly out the door.

[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/303919.html?thread=25145903#t25145903)]