Summary: As Roxas and Larxene prepare for a trying family reunion, Riku and Zexion get a most unpleasant suprise of their own.

Pairings: Sora/Roxas, Axel/Riku, one-sided Zexion/Larxene

Disclaimer: If I owned Kingdom Hearts, I would not have work in a dirty bookstore.


Strife Home

"Your move."

Zexion considered the board carefully, before moving a pawn ahead one space. "So, tell me what's wrong."

Larxene raised one blonde eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"You're sitting here, playing chess with me, instead of making wisecracks about the idiots you met today. Something's up, and I want to know what."

She sighed, and slumped in her seat. "Well, if you insist. The Strife family reunion is in two days."

"Oh."

"Yeah," she rolled her eyes, "And so instead of biting the bullet and going herself, my dear mother is sending me and Roxas in her place."

"I see. And that's so bad...why?"

The blonde woman shot him a glare that would have frozen Caligula in his tracks. "You've never met our family. They despise us. We're only invited becuase they enjoy mocking us. Cloud managed to weasel out of it by staying at school over the summer. Bastard."

"So, why don't you just tell her you don't want to go?"

"Tried it." Larxene gave a pathetic little moan and moved her rook three spaces to the left, "It's that, or I 'volunteer' at her daycare center. At least I won't feel too bad if I kill a family member."

"Well," Zexion, sent his queen forward and captured Larxene's king, "I'll pray for you."


Loire Home

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"Roxas, no."

"But I'm begging you. You're my only hope!"

Sora placed his hands on his boyfriend's shoulders, and looked him square in the eye. "Roxas, I love you, but I'm not going to hit you on the head with a pipe so you can avoid your family's reunion. Brain damage is where I draw the line."

"You'd be doing me a favor! If you knew my family, you'd understand. A coma is preferable to spending time with them."

Sora sighed, "Come on, Roxas it can't possibly be that bad."

"You're right about that. It's much worse. So much worse..."

"Get a hold of yourself. Just pretend you're somewhere else. Better yet, pretend I'm there, and we're making fun of them."

Roxas' eyes lit up. "Hey...you there..."

"Oh no," Sora put his hands in the air and backed away slowly, "Nope, no way, not a chance in hell!"

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"


Hojo Home

While his friends were dealing with their own personal crises, Riku was relaxing on a sofa in the Hojo's living room. Yes, life was peaceful, undisturbed, totally serene.

Ding-dong!

Damn doorbell.

Grumbling to himself, he goty up and went to the door.

"Little brother!"

Riku's squeak of suprise was unnoticed as he was wrapped in a leather-clad hug.

"Loz...It's good to see you. What are you doing here?" Riku asked as his brother released him from the embrace.

"The floor of my apartment caved in. I called dad to tell him I was coming, didn't he say anything?"

"Dad hasn't been home for three days, you know how he gets."

"Oh...yeah," Loz said sheepishly. "Well, since I'm--Zexion, Mom!" The aforementioned two found themselves hugged immediately.

Lucrecia embraced her son tightly, "It's so good to see you! But, what are you doing here?"

"Dad forgot everything again," Riku interjected, as the doorbell rang, again. Once again, Riku found himself opening the door. "Yazoo," he greated his brother flatly.

"I shot a burgler, so I'm having my house cleaned." The long haired man said without preamble, moving quickly into the house.

Riku and Zexion locked eyes. Both knew, instinctively, this was a very, very bad thing.


A/N: Do you guys like it so far? I really want to know if I should continue this or not.