I Got Your Back
Disclaimers: All Kingdom Hearts characters are owned by Disney and square Enix and are all copied without permission. I have made this story for fun and not profit.
Writer's Note: This story is actually a request someone had asked of me to do.. I had never really written for Saix/Isa before and so he might be a bit out of character.. I've also never written for their past selves before so please don't be rude if I don't get things right.. In any case, I hope you all enjoy my story.
*One-Shot*
Lea and Isa hurried down the streets of Radiant Gardens, the due trying their best to outrun the other as they raced through town, not seeming to take notice of others walking through the streets as Isa pulled ahead of him a bit.
"Is that the best you can do?" Isa asked, smirking a little. "I bet I could make it to the castle and back five times before you make it even once.."
"Fat CHANCE!" Lea laughed. "Just you WAIT!"
Lea put all his strength into his legs to push himself to the limit, practically making it seven paces ahead of Isa. Isa smirked as he did the same to catch up to his friend. Just as the due made it up the block however, Isa began to get an uneasy feeling. It was not uneasy as in feeling anxious. Rather, it was a strange feeling in his stomach that seemed to cause an almost dull ache. As the feeling began to grow, Isa was aware of a dizziness that began to accompany the feeling as his stomach churned uncomfortably. Slowly, he began to slow his pace, Lea soon rushing past him as Isa slowed to a stop, bringing his hand up to his midsection with a wince.
"Ha! I WIN!" Lea cheered happily. "Ya still think you can outrun me?"
Lea's teasing and cocky tone soon faded and he frowned as he turned to look at his best friend.
"Isa?"
Isa stood where he was, his head hanging low as he clutched his gut a bit painfully. Isa began to notice an almost coppery taste in his mouth and swallowed hard as he fought back the queasiness beginning to build up inside him.
"Hey.. You don't LOOK so good.." Lea frowned, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "What's the matter?"
Isa at this point had fallen to his knees as he began to feel a rush of pressure in his abdomen and before he could react, he vomited onto the ground, his body shuddering from the strain. Lea jumped back in shock, narrowly avoiding getting covered in it.
"Isa!?" Lea cried in shock.
Isa groaned in response. Slowly, Lea made his way over to his best friend, being careful not to step in the puddle of vomit on the ground.
"C'mon.." he said, carefully helping his friend up. "We better get inside and get you taken care of."
"I'm fine.." Isa grumbled, pulling away.
However, as Isa stood up a bit, his legs wobbled slightly. If Lea hadn't had an arm around him, he may have fallen over.
"C'mon, man.. We both know you're not 'fine'.." Lea frowned. "You're CLEARLY in no condition to handle this on your own.."
Isa gave Lea a look and wanted to protest but could feel another wave of nausea washing over him.
"C'mon," Lea began. "You can stay at my place, my parents are off on a business trip.."
Isa let out a shaky breath and nodded, allowing Lea to lead him along toward his home.
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Upon the arrival at Lea's home, Isa was led up to the guest room. Lea began to help Isa remove his jacket. However, Isa gave him a look and proceeded to remove it on his own, revealing a black sleeveless shirt beneath it and slipped out of his boots. Isa let out a groan as he stumbled to the bed and collapsed on top of the sheets.
"Let me know if ya need anything." Lea said.
Isa turned his head and scowled at him.
"I'm not a child.." Isa grunted in annoyance.
"I'm just trying to help.." Lea frowned.
Isa responded by turning onto his side, soon having his back face toward the redhead. Lea let out a sigh.
"Alright then.."
With that, Lea left the room, leaving the door ajar just in case. As Lea left the room, Isa turned over again to face the door. He soon let out a tired sigh and lie flat on his back, gazing up at the ceiling of the room. Slowly, he began to dose off into a dreamless sleep.
When Isa awoke an hour later, he felt even more groggy than he had before. He shivered as a chill seemed to wash through him. It seemed as though the entire world had become an icy bath. Isa let out a groan and coughed painfully. His throat felt brunt and seemed as though he had swallowed sandpaper. As he tried to sit up, Isa felt a sudden wave of nausea. He rolled over in the bed and began to vomit all over the floor.
Hearing the commotion from the other room, Lea quickly hurried into the room. He hurried to friend's side as Isa was hit by another wave of nausea. Grabbing the trash bin from beside the nearby table, Lea brought it over to his friend.
"Here..." he said softly, bringing it over.
Isa shakily and wordlessly took it soon began emptying the contents of his stomach, his body convulsing as he continued to retch into bucket. Lea hesitated before placing a hand on his friend's back comfortingly to which Isa stiffened a bit.
"What.. Are you doing?" he asked, his voice coming out in a raspy tone.
"It's okay.." Lea assured him. "I'm here to help you.."
Isa tried to pull away but found he was far too tired to really move.
"I d-don't need-"
He was suddenly cut off as he coughed painfully, his throat burning as he fought not to be sick again.
"Isa, you're obviously sick.." Lea frowned. "The least you could do is let me help you.."
Isa gave Lea a look and Lea sighed.
"I'll be around if you need me.." he muttered.
He soon stood from the bed and made his way out of the room. Isa watched him leave and he let out a sigh. After recovering a bit, Isa set the bucket down and lay back in the bed, pulling the blankets over him and closing his eyes as he tried to get some sleep.
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"Isa? Isa.."
Isa groaned weakly as he felt a gentle nudging against his shoulder. He opened his eyes groggily and looked out from beneath the blankets.
"Isa, it's time to eat.." Lea said, taking a seat beside him on the bed.
"I'm not hungry.." Isa muttered, becoming a bit queasy at the very thought of food.
"C'mon, Isa, you gotta EAT something.." Lea frowned.
Isa however, only buried himself farther into the blankets.
"J-just.. Just let me sleep.." Isa grunted.
"Isa, at least TRY something?"
Isa groaned in response, wanting Lea to just leave him alone so he could try to get more sleep. However, Isa knew Lea would not leave until he made an effort to eat something and soon he eased himself up a bit, trying his best to fight away the dizziness.
"If I eat something.. Will you leave me alone?"
Lea smiled and nodded.
"Totally."
"Fine.." Isa finally said, defeated.
Lea grinned a little and soon brought over a tray of food and set it down in front of him. Isa eyed the choices in front of him, his stomach turning slightly at the sight of food. There was a few pieces of plain toast, a type of soup or broth, and a bowl of what Isa realized was oatmeal. Wordlessly, Isa took a piece of toast and took small, tentative bites. He managed to eat the piece of the toast and took a few sips of Ginger Ale. He ate a few spoonfuls of the oatmeal before pushing the tray away.
"Well, you at least had something," Lea said with a slight smile.
"Can I please go back to sleep now?"
Lea frowned at the annoyance in Isa's tone and nodded. Isa in turn, lay back down and curled up beneath the blankets again. Lea sighed and after gathering up the tray of remaining food, he made his way out of the room.
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Isa made his way through the long corridor, shivering as he looked scanned the area within the pitch blackness that surrounded him.
"Hello?" he called out.
The only sound was the echoing of his own voice. A few moments passed before he heard a voice from somewhere in the shadows.
"Hey, what's the matter?" asked the voice. "You scared of the dark?"
Isa's eyes grew wide as he recognized the voice.
"Lea?" he said.
The face of a young boy appeared from the shadows. Though it was just barely visible in the dim light, the spiky red hair and bright emerald eyes were a dead giveaway.
"Lea, what're you DOING here?"
Lea gave him a confused look.
"What do you mean, Isa?" he asked him, confused.
Isa opened his mouth to speak when he noticed a dark mist beginning to emit from his friend's chest.
"Lea?"
Lea gave him an expression of fear and betrayal, his hand pressed against his chest in agony.
"Isa.. Why?" Lea whimpered.
Isa's eyes grew wide as he saw his friend's form shift into a more slender form and the clothes he had been wearing had been replaced by a black cloak. As Lea fell to the ground, Isa tried to run to him but found he was rooted to the floor.
"Lea!"
Isa fought to get free but could only watch as his best friend collapsed to the ground. Isa stared in horror as he saw Lea's body slowly disintegrating into black ash and floating away, leaving nothing behind.
"No.." Isa whimpered. "No, no, no, NO!"
"Isa? Isa!"
Isa's eyes snapped open as he took deep breath and began to breathe heavily. Lea who had been beside him jumped back a bit as Isa sat up a bit rather quickly.
"Isa! Isa, are you okay?"
Isa turned toward his friend and let out a breath. He soon relaxed a bit. It had only been a dream. His relief however was short lived as he was suddenly hit with an overwhelming feeling of nausea. Isa doubled over and began emptying the contents of his stomach all over the bed. Lea jumped back a bit in shock, soon grabbing the nearby bucket. Isa tightly clenched his eyes shut as he continued to vomit into the bucket. Lea looked at his friend with deepening concern.
"C'mon.. Let's get you cleaned up.."
With that said, Lea carefully helped Isa out of the bed and led him toward the bathroom. When the duo reached the bathroom, Isa wasted no time collapsing to the floor in front of the toilet before emptying the contents of his stomach again, his body shuddering from the strain. Lea gently placed a hand on Isa's back, gently rubbing his back.
"It's okay.." he assured him gently.
Isa wanted to protest but continued to retch into the bowl, continuing the throw up until it resolved to nothing but dry heaving. After a while, Isa drew back away from the toilet and rested himself against the wall. Isa groaned as he fought to keep his eyes open. Sweat drenched his face, causing his hair to become plastered to his skull. Taking notice of this, Lea got up, fetched a damp rag from the sink, and carefully placed it on Isa's forehead. Isa grunted in annoyance and gave Lea a dark look.
"I know you don't like it," Lea frowned. "But it's supposed to help."
"What is it with you..?" Isa grumbled in annoyance.
"I'm trying to HELP you, Isa," Lea replied. "I mean, that's what friends do."
Isa only huffed in response.
"So.. What was your dream about?" asked Lea suddenly.
Isa froze before glaring at him.
"Were you SPYING on me?" he demanded.
"Why the heck would I do THAT?" asked Lea in shock.
Isa didn't answer.
"Anyway, it was just kinda hard not to HEAR you.." Lea confessed after a moment. "If ya don't want to talk about it, I won't make you.."
Isa let out a sigh and began to relax against the wall.
"C'mon.." Lea smiled. "You can stay in the living room while I clean up the guest room bed."
Isa only let out a breath in response. Lea took that as a yes and soon helped him out of the room. Carefully, Lea led Isa over to the living room couch. Isa managed to lay on the soft cushions of the sofa, relieved as he allowed his aching body relax on the sofa.
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As Isa awoke, he took notice of how dark in had gotten outside. Isa tried to move but felt a suddenly sharp pain in his head. He gritted his teeth as he clenched his eyes shut. Isa was hit by a wave of nausea and quickly grabbed the bucket from close by, soon emptying the contents of his stomach into the bucket. Isa could hear the loud thumping of footsteps hurrying in from the other room. Isa's body convulsed as he continued to retch violently into the bucket, clenching his eyes shut in agony. Lea was at his side in seconds.
"Isa?"
When Isa lifted his head up, Lea was taken aback by what he saw. Tears of pain and frustration had begun to slip down Isa's pale cheeks, as he fought to keep from throwing up again and again. Having always seen Isa as a no-nonsense type of guy, Lea had never known to seen him cry and it seemed.. Unsettling.. Nonetheless, this was his best friend and he needed his help.
"Isa.."
"I'm s-sorry.." Isa choked out.
While before, he had tried to keep his emotions in check, Isa could no long fight the feeling of frustration and pain that had begun to overwhelm him.
"Hey, heeey.." Lea said gently. "C'mon man.. It's okay.."
"N-no.. I-it's NOT..." Isa whimpered out. "I c-can't take this anym-more.."
"Hey.. Shh.."
Lea pulled him into a comforting hug.
"You're gonna be okay," he assured him. "I'm not gonna make you go through it alone.. Got it memorized?"
Isa laughed weakly but it soon evolved into a coughing fit.
"Easy, man.." Lea said. "Take slow and deep breaths."
Isa did so, managing to calm down a bit. Lea smiled and after a moment, he let Isa go.
"Don't tell anybody we hugged alright?" he said a bit sheepishly. "Don't want people to get any crazy ideas.. Got it memorized?"
"Your secret's safe with me.." Isa replied.
His eyes began to grow heavy and soon Lea helped him lay back on the couch. Isa soon relaxed on the soft cushions of the sofa. Lea gently placed a damp rag on Isa's face and covered him up, soon leaving the room.
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Isa awoke the next morning with a mild headache, and after rolling onto his back, he managed to stretched his arms and legs. Slowly, he began to sit up. He sleepily rubbed at his face and soon look around the room. Isa slowly stood from the couch, taking a moment to gather his strength. As he stood up, he found while he was still a bit achy, he was not as sore as before. Isa smiled and soon made his way upstairs to find Lea and let him know he was feeling better. When he found him, however, Isa was shocked to find Lea had not woken up yet, even when the sun was shining in through the closed curtains of the room.
"Lea?"
The lump in the bed moved with a soft groan. Isa slowly made his way over to the bed.
"Hey," Isa gently nudged his shoulder.
Lea rolled over and gazed up at him, shivering a bit.
"I d-don't feel so good.." Lea groaned.
Isa sat down on the side of the bed and smiled a little.
"I guess it's my turn to take care of you, huh?"
Lea chuckled a little but soon went into a coughing fit.
"Just take some slow and deep breaths," Isa said.
As Lea did as he was told, Isa smiled and shook his head. Somehow, he knew it was going to be a long day.
~fin
Author's Note: So ends another story.. I think this would be the very first story I've ever made with Axel and Saix as their younger selves.. To the one who had requested this, I hope the story was to your liking.. To everyone out there, I hope you all enjoyed my story and have a great day.