Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. Honestly, no idea where this came from. All I know is that I wanted to try my hand at a 'character-death' type fic, but I didn't think it'd end up like this...
It happened so fast, he didn't know what to do.
Not too long since he started dating Sora Hikaru, Roxas Utada became a fighter. That was almost a year ago, and he was an absolute natural at it. His friends and his boyfriends loved it, enjoyed watching him win fight after fight, whether with fists or wooden swords. Of course, the fights were all controlled, but still. Somewhere along the line, his friends became jealous.
Riku Ibana, Sora's then-best friend, became increasingly jealous that Roxas was dating him. The blonde saw this clearer than anyone else. He wanted to avoid any problems, but Riku insisted that it wasn't a big deal; that he and Roxas were meant to be. Roxas tried several times to help Riku, from suggesting that Sora double date with Riku, to even flat out breaking up with Sora so Riku could get the man of his dreams. That's not to say Roxas disliked Sora. Far from it; he loved him. However, keeping their group together - and Sora's friendship - was more important to him than simply dating Sora. That being said, both Sora and Riku shot down the idea every time.
Axel Erif, a guy who Roxas saw as a brother, couldn't stand the idea of being friend zoned. The redhead tried everything to get Roxas, from singing to comforting to cooking. However, Roxas only called him sweet and stayed faithful to Sora. Sora offered to talk to Axel about it, but Axel kept dismissing it as nothing, like Riku did.
The twin sisters, Kairi and Xion Pinel, were homophobic. Kairi crushed on Sora, while Xion crushed on Roxas. Sure, the sisters hated the fact that both of the boys were nothing less than full-blown gay, but they both accepted and adored everything else about Sora and Roxas, especially their smiles and how caring they can be. The twins tried everything they could think of to turn the boys straight. The tried knitting clothes, playing sports, downright seducing them, even creating a porno (with the help of their best friends, Larxene and Selphie) just to get their attention. Sora and Roxas clear that, while they always loved the twins, they only meant it as friends, and they only loved each other in that way. The sisters never even realized that Riku and Axel were gay, too... Maybe because they never paid that much attention to them?
Then there's Namine Harcon. She was, in Roxas mind, the best out of all of them. She was a quiet but solid part of their group. To be more accurate, she was the one who brought all of them together. However, because of how quiet she was, almost like an outcast, she was often made fun of by others who didn't understand her, like that prick, Vanitas Thompson. Namine was quiet simply because she wanted to, possibly because she grew up in an orphanage. She preferred to draw, and was amazing at it. Also, being the optimist that she was, she focused on her art, not the teasing, so it didn't bother her in the slightest. She often drew life-like pictures of the other people in the clique, sometimes alone, sometimes together. Hell, sometimes she liked to draw Sora and Roxas making out, shirtless. She was the most accepting of the boys' relationship.
How did this happen?! Roxas found himself thinking yet again. Just last week, their friends' jealous came to a peak. Riku and Kairi attempted to kill Roxas, while Axel and Xion tried to kill Sora. Roxas didn't care about what happened to himself, but he couldn't bare to lose Sora. Sora also made Roxas promise to stay alive, no matter what. Just to fulfill that promise last week, he was forced to kill four of their closest friends, strictly defending himself and his love. When Namine saw what had become of her group - the closest she had to family - her grief overcame her, and she committed suicide.
That was six days ago now. Ever since then, Roxas developed a case of insomnia. Fortunately, they just graduated from Twilight High, so it wouldn't affect his grades. Anyway, Sora left on a business trip yesterday. The money offered was just too much to pass up.
"I'll only be gone for a couple days, Roxy. I promise. When I get back, we'll finally have the money to go on that vacation to Destiny Islands that you've always dreamed of." With that, Sora kissed his boyfriend on the forehead, and left.
Now, after six days, even Roxas the Insomniac couldn't avoid sleep any longer. He laid down in the bed that he and Sora shared. He quickly drifted to the land of sleep. Roxas had a dream that night, for the first time since he and Sora first started dating.
He sat at a table in his old school's cafeteria. The school was deserted, and there were five small, portable mirrors laid face-down on the table. The blonde picked up the one on the far right, and gasped when he saw in the mirror.
It was Riku.
Only this Riku looked slightly different than when Roxas last saw him. Instead of the anger, frustration, and jealousy that he had seen in his eyes on that fateful day, Riku's eyes showed regret, acceptance, and hope. His silver hair was also a little shorter than when he was alive. Other than that, he was completely identical to before.
"Roxas," the silver haired boy said, "I'm sorry. I was so scared that you would mistreat Sora, even after all your attempts to keep us all together. I was so wrong. Can you forgive me?"
Roxas nodded. "I did a long time ago." He then flipped the next three mirrors, revealing Xion, Kairi, and Axel. They all had similar expressions to Riku's, though Axel seemed a bit more...hesitant to show his emotions. Roxas felt a tear trickle down his cheek as he saw the faces of four of his best friends. He only wished Sora could see them, too. "I'm...so sorry, guys..." Roxas choked. "It was self-defense. I never wanted..." he gestured at the mirrors, now all that was left of the group, "this."
"It's okay, Roxas," Xion said quietly, showing more sorrow and regret.
"Yeah, we were in the wrong," her sister added just as quietly.
"We were idiots, overcome with jealousy. That doesn't excuse how we went about it," Axel said bitterly.
Roxas bit his lip. "Where are you?" He asked slowly.
Xion was the one to answer. "This place has many names. Remember Professor Sephiroth?" Roxas nodded. It was hard to forget their previous year's history teacher and fencing coach. "He called it The Promised Land."
Kairi nodded. "You'd call it the afterlife."
"Does it hurt much?" Roxas asked. Despite his promise to Sora, he didn't want to continue living anymore, not if it meant killing more people they cared about. He was far too good of a fighter for anyone to beat him to death, anyway.
"Dying?" Riku asked. Roxas nodded, and the silverette answered. "Only if you delay it for too long."
Roxas gulped. Was the insomnia a sign..? He looked to the final mirror. "Is that..?"
"Namine, yes," Kairi answered. "She was hoping for a private chat with you."
"Once the mirrors are face-down again, we won't be able to hear you until you flip them back," Axel added.
The blonde nodded, then said a final goodbye and flipped all the mirrors. Namine was revealed, while the others were hidden. "Namine, I..." Roxas began, but the blonde girl cut him off.
"Please, don't. Roxas, you need to know something. I love you. I love Sora. I always have. I just held back, first because I was nervous, then because I knew you two were perfect together. I didn't want to risk ruining something as perfect as the love you two have. I accepted that, and masked my feelings." The girl's eyes now showed hints of remorse, and Roxas bit back another tear.
"Then there's that day," Namine continued. "It made me question who you were, Roxas. For a few wild moments, I started to think you were a murderer, so I took my own life before you could. I'm sorry, and I'm also sorry I never confessed my feelings for you before."
Roxas shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. Because of me, all of you are..." he trailed off, unable to finish.
"Dead," she finished for him. "It's actually not so bad here. It's better than the world of the living, that's for sure."
"How so?"
"Well, it's much more beautiful here. You can forget all the pain you carried through life, if you want. You simply let go of it, then grab it back whenever you want to remember it. When you let go, your eyes open to the truth behind everything from your life. The only problem we have, is how much we miss you and Sora." That was more than Namine spoke in their entire Senior year at school.
Roxas' eyes snapped open, and he sat up in his bed, sweating. Was that a message of some sort? He thought, then got up. That was the last straw. As he walked to the kitchen, he began hearing things. He knew right away that his friends were talking to him, even though they never said these things to him in life.
"Roxas, do you remember your true name?" Roxas pulled out a pen and paper.
"Can you feel Sora?" He scribbled out a note and attached it to the refrigerator with a heart-shaped magnet. The messages continued.
"You're my best friend. Mine and Xion's. Got it memorized?" Roxas grabbed a steak knife out of the drawer, and decided it was sharp enough.
"Never forget... That's the truth." With that, he plunged the knife deep into his heart and collapsed without a sound. His final thought: I'm so sorry, everyone...Sora...
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Early the next morning, Sora arrived at their house with a worried expression. He had a dream just last night that urged him to return to Roxas before it was too late. The churning in his stomach told him that it might already be. "Roxas! I'm home!" He shouted, hoping to sound like his normal cheery self. No answer. "Roxas?"
When he entered the kitchen, Sora saw his boyfriend dead on the ground, bleeding heavily, a knife protruding from his heart. "Roxas?!" Sora cried as he removed the blood-stained knife from his lover. He hugged the dead body closed, kissing his lips as if it would bring his Roxas back. He cried over the body until he couldn't cry anymore.
Through his blurry vision, he looked at the fridge. There was a sheet of paper, attached by a blue magnet. He slowly read the note.
"Sora,
I'm sorry, but I just can't continue. It's my fault our friends are gone, even Namine. I had a dream last night, and it was the last straw. I couldn't take it anymore. Before I'm gone, I need to tell you a couple things.:
1. I love you, and you alone. I always have. I always will, even in death.
2. As long as you live, I will always be with you, in your heart. Always.
3. Should you ever follow me here, we will be married, forever, in the Promised Land...if you still want.
Farewell for now, Sora Hikaru. Love you forever.
Roxas Utada."
Sora was stunned by what he just read. he placed the note back on the fridge, re-attached it with the blue heart-shaped magnet, and grabbed the knife. It was stained red with Roxas' blood. Sora shed one final tear, positioning his face so that the tear fell into the small hole in Roxas' chest that led to his heart. Death is a crafty criminal, Sora found himself thinking. Roxas is too skilled to kill in battle, so this is how it ends.
He gave one last, heartfelt smile, albeit a small, sad one. He kissed Roxas again and held his hand tight.
"Our group," Sora whispered. "Our love, and now our death. It began with Namine. And now it ends with me. Hold on, Roxas. I'm coming with you."
With that, he plunged the knife into his heart. The knife was now stained with the joined blood of both lovers. Sora collapsed on top of his boyfriend, and joined his lover in death.
Sora: What the hell made you write that?
Me: Didn't I say I have no idea? At least you and Roxas are together.
Wow. Please let me know how I did.