Inspiration
Chapter 1: A New Beginning
A/N: Ah, don't you just love that new story smell … Anyway, as promised, I'm finally uploading my AkuRoku story since I have the majority of it written down. I know this will be kind of cliché but that day when I almost slipped and fell into my bath tub, the idea of this story came to me and played itself in my head like a movie and I just knew I had to write it. So sorry if you don't like it and think it's too much like other AkuRoku fics but maybe this will just be my inspiration for a better story. In the mean time, tell me what you think of this cause it seriously wrote itself and I want to know what my story with a mind of its own means to you guys …
Warnings: rated M for later chapters. Nothing really going on in this chapter except for a silly Naminé …
Disclaimer: No I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy, if I did Roxas and Axel would be more than friends and Leon would still be called Squall …
3rd person POV
Her face was everywhere. All over billboards and on the sides of buildings. It's quite unbelievable how she had gotten so famous actually. She was known in big cities like Hallow Bastion, small towns like Radiant Gardens, even far off places and other countries. And so was the art work associated with said countenance. Her name was Naminé Shiroi, considered one of the most famous artists in this day and age. Although she was young, only twenty-three years old, and extremely bored. She grew up sheltered and continued to live that way, only leaving her house for business trips and art shows. She never dated because she didn't trust anyone to love her for her and not her money. Her own family even used her sometimes except for her older brother, Cloud, believed if he couldn't make a living off his own money then he didn't deserve to be called a man and would be damned before he tried to mooch off his beloved little sister. But, unfortunately, his government job couldn't give him the time of day to visit very often much less protect her from their parents' greed. Naminé sighed, letting her thoughts run through her mind again as she was travelling back home from her latest art show. Even though they were greedy, she hadn't actually seen her parents in years. Her mother, Namiko Shiroi, never married her father and Naminé had only grown up with half a family and even less of a life. When she finally found her father and brother again, she'd already left home to escape her mother's tyranny and make a living in the artist's world. Her mother, not wanting to see her old boyfriend and son again, let Naminé go and didn't contact her again until after she became famous.
Naminé let out another sigh, though this one in exhaustion, as she got out of the car with her good friend, Marluxia, at her heels. They were finally home after five hours of that torturous drive that Marluxia courteously agreed to. He also had business where she was going but he found art in clothes design and often asked Naminé to draw for him. ' Though right now he's just here to steal my food and talk my ear off,' she though, shaking her head and smiling. She unlocked the door and silently stepped in, holding the door for Marluxia who told her she was too kind before running to her refrigerator. Naminé was too tired to scold him for raiding her kitchen so instead she walked into the living room, kicking her white heels off and making her way to the pearl white couch in the large space in front of a large flat screen that was … on? Naminé looked at it curiously before grabbing the remote on the arm of the couch and turning the t.v. off. Then she turned to go find Marluxia and ask him if he turned the television on but stopped when she heard a soft whine coming from the couch.
Now Naminé was a bit freaked out. She walked around the couch slowly, grabbing at the straps of her white dress nervously with her arms crossed over her chest. Then her eyes widened as she stared down at the little boy around four of five years old with spiky, golden-blonde hair and eyes as blue as the ocean. He stared back at her curiously, having momentarily forgotten about the t.v. that had been turned off a few moments ago. Then, as if to make things more confusing, Ansem (Naminé's old teacher and the wisest man she knew) walked through the entryway with Vexen's six year old son holding his hand and a sea-salt ice cream. Naminé was beyond confused, not even really noticing the words coming out of her mouth as she spoke.
"Ansem … what is this?" she asked, pointing to Ansem then to the little boy currently sitting on her couch. Ansem sighed and started to explain.
"Naminé, you were always one of my brightest students and I always expected you reach happiness in your life. But from what I heard from Marluxia, that seems to not be the case … In fact, he even said your life was getting somewhat … boring."
Naminé blinked in surprise, still unable to speak.
"So, I was wondering if maybe you would adopt that child. I know that this is sudden and unexpected but, let's face it, you're too young to be shuffling around this big house like my grandmother."
Naminé was even too surprised to take offense at his joking words.
"A-Ansem … I don't know about this … I don't even know the kid's name," Naminé sighed, knowing in her heart that she wanted to help out and adopt this child but unsure about what the consequences might be. As much as she loved children, she never really had much experience taking care of them; mostly due to the fact that her only sibling was older than her by two years and always took care of her.
"His name is Roxas. We don't know who his parents are; he certainly doesn't remember them, he's only four years old and had been living in an orphanage for the majority of his life. I've gotten to know him a little. He doesn't talk much but he's a good kid," Ansem explained.
At that moment, Zexion shyly broke away from Ansem and walked over to Roxas, quietly holding his ice cream out to the younger boy. Roxas eyed him warily before taking the ice cream and smiling a thanks. Zexion nodded and sat down next to him, as if their silent exchange sealed their friendship. Naminé couldn't help but melt at the sight.
"I … I don't really know what I'm getting into. I've never cared for a child before but … but I have faith in this. I'll do it, I'll adopt him. Besides, everyone deserves love, don't they?"
Ansem smiled in gratitude.
"I'm sure you'll do fine, you'd make a great mother if you'd just settle down," Ansem laughed.
"M-mother …?" Naminé stuttered, her eyes growing wide at the thought of actually having her own children, something she'd wanted for a long time.
Ansem laughed again and motioned for Zexion to follow him out the doorway. Zexion complied, waving to Roxas who shyly waved back.
"I'll leave you to get to know him. And don't worry, I'll be around to check on you occasionally until he gets settled. You'll do a good job, I have faith in you," Ansem said encouragingly before Naminé heard him leave the house. She sighed and looked down at Roxas. He stared back up at her, still showing mild curiosity. Naminé took a deep breath to relax then turned her full attention onto Roxas and smiled warmly at him.
"I don't have much of a family, but I'll happily make you part of mine if you want to be. I hope you'll like it here …" she told him, sitting beside him on the couch and scooting close to him to show she wanted to be friends as well. He kept his eyes on her the entire time, assessing her character and memorizing her face before pointing towards the t.v. quietly. She got the hint and grabbed the remote to turn it onto some random cartoon that looked like American animators tried to copy anime or something. The room was slightly dimmer with the sun setting lower and almost disappearing behind the hills seen through the window beside the television.
Naminé drifted back into her own thoughts again, wondering if Marluxia had already left or if Cloud knew about her adopting or where the adoption papers were or why she was in this mess in the first place. Then her concentration was when Roxas nuzzled his head into her side and started to fall asleep. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his small shoulders thinking to herself that if it meant this child would be her new family, she wouldn't mind dealing with whatever consequences lay ahead of her.
XxXxX
-Eleven Years Later-
"Naminé!"
The knocking on the door continued.
"Naminé, wake up!"
Naminé, still in bed with no intention of getting up, grumbled something unintelligible before turning over with the plans of ignoring the annoying sound at the door.
"I'm coming in …"
The door opened to reveal a teenage boy with an exasperated scowl on his face.
"Naminé get up. You have work."
"Not until later on …" she sighed.
"Later on meaning in thirty minutes?"
Naminé's eyes flew open and she just about jumped out of her bed.
"What time is it?" she asked frantically.
"Twelve thirty," he answered in a bored tone, used to Naminé being tardy.
"Oh no …" she groaned, grabbing her clothes and rushing into the bathroom.
"Roxas, why didn't you wake me up earlier?" she yelled through the door.
"I tried, you sleep like a rock. And anyway, last I checked I'm not your mother," he said, rolling his eyes.
He could Naminé tripping over herself trying to get ready for work.
"Hmm, maybe you should be," she said jokingly.
"Sorry, can't. I'm not going be here all the time anymore …" he said, completely serious.
She burst out of the bathroom, fully dressed and made-up, and stared at her teenage son for a moment. Then she sighed and crossed the distance of her bedroom to hug him.
"I can't believe you're going to leave me …"
"It's not like you're here all the time either. And I'm sick of private tutors. I want to be a normal kid and go to a normal high school," Roxas said, hugging Naminé back.
"But still …"
"Don't worry, I'll have Zexion with me," he laughed.
"Roxas, Zexion is seventeen, he won't be there forever …" she quipped.
"Are you doubting my ability to make friends, Naminé?"
"… Would it kill you to call me mom?" she pouted.
"You're too young to be called mom."
"Roxas, I'm thirty four."
"That's true, happy birthday by the way …"
Naminé smiled, glad someone remembered.
"Does this mean you're making my birthday cake?" she asked hopefully. He laughed and let go of her.
"So I've gone from being your son to being your cook?" he asked jokingly.
She laughed, still staring at him with hopeful eyes. He stared back evenly, promising to himself that he wouldn't crack … then he did.
"Yes okay fine, I'll cook for you," he sighed, rolling his eyes yet again and smirking.
"I guess this means that I'm missing out on breakfast though huh?" Naminé asked sheepishly.
"Yeah, but don't worry. I'll make it up to you with dinner-now get out before you're late to work!" Roxas commanded. Naminé laughed and kissed his cheek.
"Yes sir."
With that and a wave, Naminé was down the stairs and out of the house; off to an art show that would now be featuring her work.
Roxas sighed. 'Alone again. I don't start school until tomorrow and I was so excited, I already had gotten everything together. I'd talk to Zexion but he's busy and Xion and Sora are still on vacation with their parents. They're all so lucky, getting to lead normal lives … though I suppose I shouldn't be complaining …" Roxas looked around the large house he was dragging his feet through, the place was basically a mansion. Not to mention, it had a family area with a flat screen, tons of video game consoles, a pool table/air hockey table and a mini aquarium, an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, large rooms all fully furnished and full of luxury and an art room not only meant for Naminé's work but any form of art Roxas felt compelled to indulge in (though he mostly stuck to music). It was the life any kid would want and what was better, Naminé made sure it was all for him. She not only spoiled him with love and kindness when he first arrived but made sure that when she was gone for long periods of time, he'd keep himself occupied. And, of course, to keep him in check during her long absences, she hired a private tutor to home school him since she felt neither public nor private school was something he should endure as he was mostly alone. He'd even complained to her that all her coddling would make him go soft so she, being the resourceful woman she is, let him take karate in case he ever needed to defend himself. She'd also offered to hire a nanny to take care of the house chores but he said he'd rather do it to occupy his time (though it was just a cover up to hide the fact that he just wanted her to stop spoiling him).
"Well suck it up, Roxas. Only one more day and that day belongs to Naminé. Now time to start on that cake …" Roxas told himself, rolling up his sleeves and starting towards the kitchen. Only to see Marluxia in the refrigerator … again.
"Marly … what are you doing?" Roxas asked.
Marluxia jumped, slamming his head against the top of the fridge before turning to Roxas with sweet bread stuffed in his mouth.
"Fe Fofi, fere fah foofer?" (Hey Roxy, where's your mother?)
Roxas rolled his eyes.
"On a business trip, I thought you'd be with her …"
"Fye fot foo mungnye fings paboo …" (I've got too many things to do …)
"Like what? And please stop talking with your mouth full."
Marluxia swallowed his bread and grabbed a napkin to wipe his mouth.
"I've got designs I have to get in … and I was to check on you before I set myself to work," he explained.
"And what does that have to do with raiding the refrigerator?" Roxas sighed.
"… I was hungry?"
"Marly, you're always hungry. I'd like to know how you eat like that ate your age and never gain weight …"
"Hmm, I do exercise a lot. And my job is pretty stressful. I can't really help the fact that I have the metabolism of a fifteen year old …" Marluxia mused.
Roxas shook his head and continued into the kitchen to start on the cake.
"Nami's gonna back today?" Marly asked, crossing his arms and leaning against the fridge. Roxas nodded, taking out all of the ingredients he needed.
"Hmm … I guess this means we're throwing a party."
"Marluxia, how-"
"Don't worry your pretty little head, I've got this covered. Just make as much food as you can. I'll send you the address later but right now I've got to send out invites and call Naminé," Marluxia spazzed, pulling out his cell phone and running out the back door with a rushed "see you tonight!"
Roxas stared at the door in shock for a few minutes before pulling himself together and getting back to his baking (and now cooking), all the while shaking his head and hoping Naminé won't be as freaked out as he is.
XxXxX
He was wrong.
Naminé was all over the place, tired from work and trying to greet people she hadn't seen in months (some she'd never seen at all). Marluxia kept telling her to relax and enjoy he party but she felt it would be rude to ignore her guests, especially since some of them brought their children and needed to know where to keep them. The place they were at was classy and ritzy but Marluxia always hated looking snobby (though he loved dressing better than everyone else) so he always tried to make these events more casual and fun. And he meant it when he said he a lot of people to invite.
Currently, Naminé, who had exhausted herself, was standing near her older brother Cloud and talking with Leon. Roxas checked around, knowing that if Leon was here then Sora and Xion were too. Finally, he spotted them over by the food table, Sora stuffing his face and Xion laughing at him. Roxas made his way over to them to let them know his own big news.
"You know, you'll end up choking again if you keep that up …" Xion giggled. Sora shrugged, having enough sense to not talk with his mouth full unlike Marluxia.
"She's right, you know …" Roxas whispered from behind Sora, who jumped then actually started choking. Xion and Roxas started pounding his back to get him to clear his throat.
"Where the hell did you come from?" he shouted. The other two started laughing.
"I walked over here doofus!" Roxas laughed. Sora just scowled and rolled his eyes before returning to his plate.
"Hey Roxas," Xion greeted him.
"Welcome back, you two. Though you cut it pretty close to the beginning of the school year this time …" he replied.
"How'd you know when we start school? Aren't you home schooled?" Sora asked curiously.
Roxas cleared his throat.
"I should probably tell you … this year … I'm going to your school!" he said excitedly, dragging out his words to emphasize the suspense he wanted to create.
It worked.
Both of their jaws dropped and their eyes widened to the point where they looked ready to pop out. Roxas giggled at their expressions.
"B-but … aren't you homeschooled?" Sora asked.
Roxas nodded.
"And aren't you paying for a private tutor?" xion asked.
This time, Roxas shook his head no.
"We told him his services were no longer necessary. And anyway, I'd rather be at school with my friends than stuck at home with no one to talk to but a tutor and my cat …"
They finally sobered up their expressions, though you could still hear the surprise in their voices.
"But, wouldn't you be a sophomore when you go anyway?" Sora asked, crossing his arms and leaning against Xion who seemed mildly irritated to be used as a wall. Again, Roxas shook his head.
"Apparently my education was advanced enough that I skipped a grade ..."
"… What?" Sora asked, confused.
"He skipped a grade, he's with us now," Xion explained.
"Oh … OH, so you're with us. At least you won't have to mope around and be emo now, huh?" Sora laughed.
"Gee, thanks Sora. I love you too …" Roxas seethed. Xion laughed with Sora and walked over to Roxas to lean against him and escape Sora's weight as another figure appeared.
"What was that about who loving who?" Riku, Sora's boyfriend, asked as he joined the conversation.
"Riku, you're here too? With who …?" Roxas asked.
"I was dragged here with my uncle Sephiroth by force …" he said, lazily slinging his arm over Sora's shoulders who in turn wrapped an arm around Riku's waist.
"Right, like you didn't come willingly when you learned Sora would be here," Xion said placing a hand on her hip. Everyone else just laughed.
"So, Roxas, I hear you're coming to our school this year …" Riku said.
"Mhm, and I'm staying 'til graduation. There's no getting rid of me for you guys, besides I always feel like I'm in a cage in my own house …"
"Yeah … a luxurious, well-furnished, paradise of a cage …" Xion muttered. Roxas just shook his head.
"Trust me, it gets a little boring after being stuck in there for eleven years. If Naminé wasn't home I could never go anywhere … unless Zexion came to pick me up, but even then we never did much unless Demyx was there to give me guitar lessons or break awkward silences …" Roxas sighed.
Then his cell phone started buzzing and he checked it to see that his alarm went off. He looked towards the front of the room to see Naminé waving at him from the stage. He laughed to himself at her frantic expression, realizing that she didn't want to be up there alone then put away his phone and motioned to his friends.
"Alright guys, time for cake …"
The excited yell he got as a response was an encouragement as Roxas joined his mother on stage and prepared himself for what life was sure to throw at him. Whatever that may be …
XxXxX
A/N: So … that was the first chapter … Tell me what you think, okay? Also, the majority of this story will be in Roxas' POV excluding certain chapters for plot line reasons. And Roxas' mind … will be a very complicated thing … But I hope you guys like the story anyway and please review ^^