The darkness surrounds me, completely enveloping me in its comforting embrace. My eyes are closed, although it is hard to tell. I feel as if I am floating in warm water, gently swaying in the waves. I don't feel like I'm drowning though, it is more of a nothingness surrounding me. I am all alone in this world. I am everything and nothing. I am somebody and nobody. I AM nothing.
Something interrupts the darkness that is me, a voice. I cannot understand what it is saying because of the consent absence of sound. I struggle against the murky blackness, straining to hear more of that voice. I am now ready to accept my fate, as long as I can hear that voice into eternity. It is such a beautiful voice, so full of emotion, so full of love. I am convinced it is the voice of an angel. I float toward the heavenly voice, ready for anything. I am ready to move on to the afterlife, wherever that may be.
Suddenly, one word becomes clear. Roxas. Is that me? Am I Roxas? Is Roxas my name? Am I somebody? Roxas. The voice whispers again, urging me forward. Please wake up. I'm asleep? Please. The voice pleads with me. The voice is moving me toward a pinprick of white light, where I unconsciously know pain and suffering waits for me. Please, Roxas. Just come home. I miss you. The voice sounds sad, almost as if it truly misses me.
The painful light burns my eyes, making me squeeze them shut, just to avoid going blind. I am tempted to turn back into the comfortable blackness, if just to avoid the pain. The voice pleads on, Roxas, please don't leave me. You promised you would never leave me. I cannot just leave the voice to suffer, I could at least try to help ease its pain. My mind set, I push forward into the light, and it quickly spreads before me. It almost burns, the pain and emotion that the light has brought with it. I welcome it, the pain and brightness. Now I know that I am alive, for neither heaven nor hell could be this painful.
As suddenly as the light comes, it disappears, leaving behind the onslaught of pain. Pain is nothing I cannot handle, I realize I have been through worse. The first feeling I get back is my hearing, and with that there is a gentle hum and beeping of a machine. Beep. Beep. Beep. The next feeling I get back is touch. I can feel that I am laying down on my back on top of something stiff. I can feel that I am covered up with a scratchy blanket, but it does nothing to stop the cold from seeping through. My eyes are the next thing to open, gracing me with yet another white light, though this one is not so bright nor as painful.
I take a second to realize that it is an electric light, one that is found most commonly in schools. I turn my head to my right, to find the source of that annoying beeping. I find a heart monitor, which leads me to the conclusion that I am in a hospital. Great, I have always hated hospitals.
"Roxas?" A voice from my left calls out. My head turns slowly toward the voice, squinting at the harsh light. I am met with a guy in his late teens, with shocking red hair styled into slicked-back spikes, bright emerald green eyes, and two tear drop shaped tattoos under his eyes. He has a lithe and skinny build, making me wonder if he is anorexia or something. I blush a little bit, realizing that I am staring and look away.
"Dear God, Roxas, you're awake! Sora! Ventus! Get in here! Roxas is awake! Guys!" The red head bellowed in the quite room. The door bursts open and I am attacked by a blue and red blur, knocking the breath out of me. I realize that the blur is in fact, a boy. He looks to be the age of fifteen with spiky brown hair and ocean blue eyes, his lanky frame currently squeezing the life out of me. Another boy follows after him, except this one walking into the room calmer and more composed. He as short spiky blonde hair and eyes to match the person currently squeezing me to death, which leads me to think that they might be related.
"Sora, get up. Roxas just woke up and probably doesn't even know what has happened yet." The blonde commands of the browned hair one.
"But Ventus! I was sooooooo worried," Sora draws out the word as if to prove a point, "And I've missed him." His arms squeeze tighter, making me let out grunts of pain. Dear god, please get this tiny demon off of me before I die of suffocation. The blond- Ventus- sighs slowly.
"I know, Sora, we all have, but it looks like Roxas is about to pass out from you straggling him." Ventus slowly points out. At once the arms are released from around me, giving me a chance to actually get the precious air into my lungs. I vow then to never take valuable oxygen into doubt again. Ventus smiles kindly at me. "Axel, why don't you go get the doctor and tell him that Roxas is awake?" The red haired one looks up at Ventus, silently asking a question. Ventus gives a subtle nod, and Axel walks out.
"So, Roxas, I have so much to tell you! First off, you missed my birthday! It was like, three weeks ago, but it's ok because you were in a coma and all, so I forgive you. But you still owe me a birthday present! Riku and I celebrated our birthdays together since they're only three days apart. Oh, you won't believe what dad got me for my birthday! He got me a box a condoms! Like ewww! Do you even know how embarrassing it is to open a box of condoms in front of the only love interest that I have ever had? Gosh, I just wanted to die! Oh, and school starts next week, I am so ready to be a freshman! Are you ready to be a senior?" Sora stopped to take a breath and I couldn't help but wonder if this kid ever stopped talking. Just as soon as it looked like Sora was going to start speaking again, Axel walked back into the room with the doctor.
The doctor paused at my bedside, looking down at me. She had light blonde hair pulled into a ponytail, chocolate brown eyes, and a smile that shown with radiance. When she started speaking, her voice was gentle and soothing.
"Hello, Roxas. I am glad you have decided to join us in the land of the living. My name is Dr. Matthis. How are you doing today?" She pauses to wait for my answer. I shrug my shoulders. After all, I did just 'wake up', whatever the hell that means. She smiles again, "Ok then, do you remember what happened? Why you are in this hospital?" I shake my head no. "That's usually normal, for a head trauma such as yours. Do you mind if I ask you some questions?" I shake my head no, I don't mind. "Ok, Roxas, do you know what day it is? If you don't know the exact date, that's okay. Just give me the best guess."
I sit there for a few moments, trying to recall what day it is. I remember it being May, I was looking forward to summer, but I can't remember why. "It's May 25th, right?" She slowly nods her head.
"Actually, it's November 13th. But it's okay, you have been in a coma for six months. What year is it, Roxas?" She asks.
"2014." A coma for six months? Can that be right? Then again, my body does feel stiff and weak. Maybe six months isn't so unbelievable.
"At least you got the year correct. Who is the President of the United States right now?"
"Obama."
"Very good! Now for my final question. Who are you? What is your name?" Is this doctor daft? Or is she just stupid?
"Roxas." Hell, she's been calling me it, so that must be my name, right?
"Yes, but what's your FULL name?" The one question that I have no idea about is the one question she just has to ask me! I stay silent a few more moments. I feel as if I admit to no knowing, then I will be letting everybody down. "Come on, Roxas, who are you?"
"I'm just Roxas. Nobody more, nobody less." She nods her head again. She writes some notes onto her clip board, before saying one last thing.
"Roxas, you were in a car wreck, a really bad one at that. You had blunt force trauma to your head and needed brain surgery. You have been in a coma for six months," she pauses to look down at her notes, "It was a miracle that you were alive when the ambulance came. It was almost certain that you were going to spend the rest of your life in a coma. I am happy to say that this time I was wrong," she smiles one more time, " Now if you will excuse me, I will be leaving to attend to other patients." And with that final goodbye, she walks out of the room, leaving us in silence once more.
"Sora, why don't you go get Roxas some food while I go call dad?" Ventus asks. Sora jumps at the chance to be helpful and bounds from the room, in search of the hospital cafeteria. Ventus gives me an apologetic look before leaving me alone with Axel, who hasn't moved once from the chair in the corner.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Axel questions me. I look at him in confusion. What is this guy talking about? "Do you have any idea what you have put me through to the last six months? " Nope. It's not as if I was in a coma or anything. "You had all of us worried to death! Tell me please, what were you thinking?" I stay silent for a few moments before answering.
"I don't know." It is the only answer I can truly give, without actually lying. Axel looks at me, before slowly walking to my side. He leans in slowly, his hand gently cupping my cheek, as if I might break at the slightest touch. He moves his face closer to mine, until I can feel his warm breath against my lips, not yet touching them, but close enough to where the slightest millimeter of movement can cause us to be kissing.
"I've missed you, Roxy." That millimeter of space is broken by Axel, with his eyes close he gently starts to kiss me. His lips are warm and soft, warmer than I'd expect from sitting in a hospital all day. Then, just as suddenly as it starts, it stops. I cannot help from pouting a little bit, because Axel is a REALLY good kisser. He smiles at me and moves to sit back into his chair. I do not know what possessed me to grab his wrist and pull him back down. I must really be going crazy now. I wrap my arms around his neck, realizing now just how tall he is, and bring his mouth down to meet mine. I run my tongue along his bottom lip, silently asking for access. He quickly opens his mouth and I slip my tongue inside, enjoying the hot cavern as him and I fight for dominance. I press my body up into his, seeking the warmth that I know I will find. He growls, knotting his fingers into my hair, forcing my head to stay still as he breaks our kiss to run a trail of kisses down my jaw and onto my neck, where he gently sucks at the sensitive flesh. I cannot help but to moan at what Axel is doing to my neck.
A cough echoes from across the room and we break apart. Both of us out of breath and flushed. I look to see Ventus standing in the doorway with a cell phone in hand.
"Dad's on his way here, Roxas. He wants to know if you need anything from home." Ventus asks me. I shake my head no. "He says no, Dad." He pauses to listen, "No I'm not asking that! Yes, he is here. Yes, I know. I'll make sure he's gone before you get here. Bye, Dad. Love you too." With that Ventus hangs up the phone and looks pointy at Axel. "I suggest you leave, NOW, before our dad gets here. Otherwise you'll have all of SOLIDER up your ass."
Axel looks calm at this threat, as if he has heard it all before. "Sorry, Ventus, but after Cloud threatened to castrate me for just looking at Roxas, I am choosing to ignore it for now. At least Roxy is worth it." Axel smiles down at me. The look on his face has me rolling my eyes at nothing more than how ridiculous he looks. "Now there's the good old Roxy we all know and love! Where have you been hiding all this time?" Axel laughs at his own joke, figures.
I look to Ventus, hoping he can answer the one question that has been on my mind all night. His face is kind and welcoming.
"Ventus?" I ask hesitantly.
"Yes?" He inquires, that grin never leaving his face.
"Just who are you all?" That simple question wipes the smiles off both Axel's and Ventus' faces.
"What?" Ventus asks me.
"All three of you talk to me as if you know me and him-" I point to Axel, "-seem to know me a little more than I know you. Just who are you people? Or better yet, who am I?" Both of their faces are filled with shock and confusion, looking at me in complete disbelief.
Axel is the first to speak, "Do you really not know who we are?"
I shake my head, "I'm sorry, but I really don't remember you guys."