Rated M for future references, and language.
Sometimes I agree to things and I don't quite know why. Maybe I agreed to this to make Sora happy, or maybe because I knew it would make Aerith, my caretaker, proud. Or maybe it was because I'm an idiot. For any reason, I agreed to join Sora on a trip to Camp Strife; a camp for troubled teen boys. It goes on our records as community service, or something.
"This is going to look soooo good on our college applications Roxas!" Sora squealed with excitement as he dug around in his closet for clothes. Sora had big, oceanic blue eyes, and brown hair with spikes that stuck out in many directions, and he liked it that way. In fact, that's how he styles it. And right now, he was packing to go to Camp Strife. His large blue suitcase lay wide open on a queen sized bed adorned with a plaid blue comforter. His suitcase was riddled with key chains of Disney characters and tags around the handle from countless vacations to Disneyland, his absolute favorite place in the world.
"I don't know…" I sighed and looked at one of Sora's midnight colored walls. The wall across from me was decorated completely with posters of his favorite bands. Some were even signed, like the ones from concerts we had gone to together.
"Umm-" Sora waved his hand around in front of my face, "You there little guy?"
"Shut up Sora, I'm not a 'little guy'!" I swatted his hand away and stood up to look at what he had packed so far, only to find one pair of underwear in the damn suitcase. "Not being very productive are we?"
"It's just, look at all these clothes!" He motioned to his closet, where there wasn't a single space in-between hangers. A shelf above all of his clothes held easily over 15 pairs of shoes, and next to his closet was a dresser. Like he needed more room for all of his shit!
"I say you just close your eyes and start pulling shit off hangers Sora," I chuckled and started messing with his dresser and snooping through all of the drawers. I tossed a few pairs of socks into his suitcase, and started looking around for some swimming trunks.
"Do you have anything for swimming in this dresser?" I asked him as I continued to rummage through all of his stuff. "And are you sure your not gay?" I was becoming more and more suspicious about the boy's sexuality while digging through his endless supply of clothing, not that men can't have a lot of clothes, but this was a little ridiculous. I swear he had the most clothes I had ever seen.
"Don't be jealous Rox, I'll let you borrow some of my stuff!" He smiled and stuck his tongue out at me. "Oh and I'm sure Kairi would beg to differ if you think I'm gay."
"Mm-hmm..just gonna keep my thoughts to myself now. And Sora, what about the swimming trunks?"
"In that bucket!" He was completely immersed in his closet, his ass sticking out while his head was buried between clothes. He pointed behind himself to some large grey storage bucket next to his bedroom door. It had a label on the front that read 'swimming'. Of course.
I opened the bucket and my fears were confirmed. Sora had a very large bucket dedicated to swimwear. Not just a drawer in his dresser, but a whole storage unit. I took the first three pairs of trunks I saw and tossed them into Sora's luggage.
"Hey Sora, I'm going to go see what's for dinner downstairs okay?"
"Yeah Rox…you do that! I'm going to keep finding stuff to pack. If I have something cute for you to wear I'll put it to the side!"
He finished the last of his sentence as I walked out of his bedroom door. I don't think Sora will finish packing on his own, so I better help him before the night ends. Yes, like a small child he needs to be guided through situations like packing.
The 'hallway' I guess you could call it, consisted of one very long wall, with numerous doors scattered along it that were a couple of feet apart in distance. Sora's door had a hand-made sign with his name on it. Across the wall was an ornate wooden railing, and when you looked over it you could see a beautiful living room downstairs. To the left of the hallway was a small set of stairs that led to a grand door, which was Aerith's room. The way the place was set up made it seem like a hotel, but it was just an orphanage: Lady Aerith's Orphanage for Children.
Some kids left, some kids stayed, and me and Sora, well, we stayed. Both of us were brought here the day we were born, but I was brought in a few months after Sora. Together we wrecked havoc throughout the orphanage; always pulling pranks and getting in trouble. Pretty soon we became very close, and didn't need genetics to verify that we were brothers. I guess our mischief is why we were never picked to go home with the families who would come in. And I think that secretly, Aerith liked it that way. While she took on a motherly role to everyone in the orphanage, she especially took a liking to Sora and I, and vice versa. So at the ages of 17, Sora and I are still orphans, and we don't mind; Aerith is the greatest mother we could ever ask for.
As for how an orphan like Sora became rich in clothing? It's because he works a lot, and constantly shops on eBay with the allowance that Aerith grants us. She's technically not allowed to grant her orphans allowances, but you could say that Sora and I are exceptions.
I look over the railing and see Yuna sitting on one of the antique looking couches under an enormous chandelier, which was complete with hanging jewels. The main reason that the orphanage is decorated with opulence is because Aerith came from an extremely wealthy family, and instead of being selfish, she decided to use her fortune on kids who have nothing. She's always a top contributor to programs for the poor, and every Christmas she donates so much to so many toy drives.
"Hey Yun-"
"Don't go Roxas! I'll miss you so much!" The younger girl whined to me as I ascended down the staircase and I made my way over to her. She sat up with her elbows on the arm of the couch. "Who- Whose going to help me play games on the Wii? Or-or who will teach me to play softball outside?" Yuna is one of my best friends at the orphanage. She's only six years old, but she's so sweet and kind-hearted.
"Hey, hey Yuna don't worry," I began, "It's only for the summer! You won't even realize I was gone!" I consoled her and took my seat next to her on the couch. She had short dark brown hair that fell at a bob, and she liked to clip little strands of color in her hair.
"But who will I play with during the summer?" She kept at her pouting and stood her ground.
"Yuna, Mama Aerith is going to be so proud of me! I'm helping other people, just like she helps us. Will you be proud of me too, Yunes?"
"Well, I guess so Roxas…but I will miss you!"
"I'll miss you too little one, but I'm not leaving 'till tomorrow, so don't cry just yet. Hey, I need to go talk to Mama Aerith okay?"
"'Kay." She waved to me as I got up and walked across the living room and to the dining room, which connected to the kitchen. On my way there, a couple of younger kids waved at me and greeted me as I walked.
It smelled delicious in the kitchen, I guess the whole staff was preparing for mine and Sora's leave. Aerith was bending down to look in the oven, and after a few seconds of inspection, she stood up straight and let our head chef, Tifa, know that whatever was cooking needed to bake for twenty more minutes. Aerith turned and noticed me standing in the archway of the kitchen and quickly walked over.
"Well if it isn't my sweet, sweet boy!" She wrapped her arm around me and kissed the top of my head. She smelled like the sweet perfume she always wore, Pink Sugar, I think it's called.
"Aerith…" I groaned in her smothering grasp.
"Seriously Roxas, it is so…awesome of you and Sora to be growing up and doing something good with your lives." She let go of me to stand tall. Even at seventeen, I didn't match her height, but only by one or two inches! Besides, some people think she's tall. Aerith wore a long pink summer dress and let her long wavy brown hair down out of its usual braid.
"Your kind of our inspiration," I laughed lightly.
"It makes me happy to know that I raised you guys well," She smiled and walked back to where Tifa was near the oven.
The kitchen wasn't different than the rest of the house, all of its decorations looked like antiques but were new, if that makes any sense. The cupboards and cabinets were all made of Oak, and each was engraved with swirls and flowery designs.
"Hey Rox, good luck on this trip of yours!" Tifa called to me. She was wearing her usual attire; a white tank top and jeans with a black apron over it. Her long black hair was pulled in to a high pony tail that reached her mid-back.
"Thanks Tifa," I replied. "You don't think it'll be…scary, do you?" I realized that I sounded like a complete wimp when the words left my mouth, but how else was I going to put it? I was scared that by 'troubled teen boys' the camp may have meant attempted murderers.
"I honestly doubt it, they're probably there for bad grades, disobedience, or smoking, right Aerith?" Tifa and I expectantly awaited Aerith's answer. She stood there, index finger to chin in deep thought.
"Yes…I think Cloud, the man who runs the camp, said that once in a while they get drug abusers, gang members, or just depressed guys." Aerith shrugged her shoulders after she said this, a bright smile on her face. It was as if she just read a grocery list.
"And it's safe?" I raised my eyebrows at her and wondered why a mother-figure would send her son-figure to a camp like this.
"Of course! Cloud is there and there are absolutely no illegal substances within camp walls. The kids' electronics are taken, and they're only allowed to take in a bag of clothes that is thoroughly checked. Tons of young adult men volunteer there as counselors, like Sora and yourself! And Cloud has these guys on a tight leash, you know."
"But-"
"This is going to be a great experience for you Roxas," She pointed at me full of authority, "and you already have your name on their roster as a counselor. Way too late to chicken out now, you and Sora are leaving tomorrow." This was Aerith's final word, I could tell by the way she crossed her arms and tilted her head down to give me a very stern look with her bright green eyes. When has Aerith ever led me in the wrong direction? I'm sure she's right, and Sora is usually the one chickening out of things and he seems certain about doing this.
"You're right," I nodded to her, "I'm going to go back upstairs and start packing, but hey what's for dinner?"
"Vegetable lasagna!" Tifa and Aerith shouted at the same time and then giggled to each other.
"Sounds good!" I called back as I ran out through the dining room, the living room, then up the stairs and back to Sora's room. I knocked on his door and let myself in, not waiting for an answer. Me and this guy have been brothers for seventeen years- screw privacy.
I heard Sora groan when I came into the room. He had thrown himself on his bed with a pillow over his face.
To my surprise, his blue suitcase was completely full, and he had a duffle bag next to it set and ready to go.
"Wow Sora, I'm impressed," I sifted through his stuff to make sure he had everything, "Looks like your done."
"I'm so tired…you don't even know." I could tell Sora was exhausted, and I knew exactly what would brighten him up.
"Guess what's for dinner?" I could practically see Sora's ears perk up like a dog's.
"Din-dins?" He turned his head to me.
"Vegetable lasagna."
Despite his small figure, Sora jumped up like a fatty and was instantly by my side.
"I'm gonna get more than you!" Sora shouted and elbowed me in the stomach, leaving me to keel over and groan in pain.
"Damn you!"
For fucks sakes Sora…we live in a rich orphanage, therefore Tifa makes tons of food!
"Dinner's ready!" Aerith's voice rang throughout the orphanage and footsteps could be heard from all over the large manor. Doors opened and closed, and I called to Aerith through all of the commotion and told her I'd be a little late to the dinner table. I was going to do some packing, and of course I'm not going to take hours like a certain brother of mine.
A/N: And there's chapter one! Kinda boring, but it does get A LOT better. I have the whole plot thought out, and the next chapter is ready to be posted; I'm just going to wait and see if this is a failure, because if it's not then I'll post the next chapter. Thanks so much for reading, reviews are much appreciated (: ~S.V.
