Another thing I wrote at 4 am int he morning after not being able to sleep due to night terrors. I get them lots so here have this brain baby spawned from it. Concrit is suggested.
We should go back to my house." Sora grinned over his ice cream at the dirty blonde sitting in front of him. It was Hayner, a boy from his algebra 2 class who was too involved with napping or staring at the pretty girls in class to bother with equations.
"Your house?" Hayner stared incredulously at him. "Listen, it was weird inviting me here, but go to you house? That's a little gay, dude."
"No, no, no." Sora smiled at him, laughing slightly. "I meant. Well, you know, Roxas hasn't seen you in a while, so..."
"Roxas?" Hayner's expression darkened, something uncharacteristic for him. "He wants to see me?"
"Yeah, he misses all of his friends, you know. He asked me to ask you if you'd come and visit. So that 's the real reason I invited you out." Sora scratched the back on his neck sheepishly. "I'm sorry, he just seems really dead set on seeing you and clearing up everything."
Hayner's expression soured for a split second before he looked up, resigned. "All right. I want to see him."
"Thank you." Sora gave a sigh of relief, paying for the both of them before exiting the ice cream parlor, Hayner in tow.
Sora's house wasn't in the town like most of the students. It was a small place about five miles from the outskirts of town that involved taking a bus and walking a distance on an old gravel road to get to. Sora was used to this trek, but he continued speaking happily to Hayner to keep his companion's spirits up. After all, Hayner had never been to their house, but the blonde seemed to be fine despite the growing awkwardness between them. He hadn't seen Roxas in at least a year or two after all that had happened. He wondered if the other had really forgiven him and the others.
"Hey Sora, why did he just ask for me?" He risked questioning as they made their way down the well beaten gravel path.
"He doesn't have the strength to have too many visitors," Sora said, shrugging. "So I told him to see you guys one at a time."
Hayner decided that this was a good enough reason and continued walking, wiping his brow. It was hot even in the shade of the trees. Summer vacation was approaching upon them, and it was all ready extremely humid. He supposed that was what you got for living so close to the sea.
Not long passed before they reached the house. It was not a lonely little place tucked away in the woods, nor did it overpower the lush surroundings. It was an old house made completely of wood, painted a cheery red that had begun to chip over the years. Vines wrapped their way around its frame in a way that was more aesthetically pleasing than wild looking. The whole place seemed to sink into its surroundings as if the very thought of removing the house from this area would be like taking a way a piece of the wood. Hayner had a moment to stare in awe before being ushered in by the brunette.
"Roxas is taking a nap," Sora said, leading the other into the living room. "When he wakes up, I'll get him. but for now I can get you a drink if you'd like?"
Hayner nodded, taking a seat on the couch after Sora had gestured for him to sit, and the brunette walked down a hall into what Hayner presumed to be the kitchen area. He came back minutes later with a glass of lemonade in his hands, which Hayner took gratefully. They sat in a silence that would have almost made the blonde's skin crawl if he wasn't so occupied looking around the room. The whole place was dark, the only light filtering in from the minimal light outside. It seemed Sora had forgotten to turn on the lights.
They were old, ornate looking lamps, creme colored with a rose petal design. The whole room seemed to have a unique and ornate feel about it, but it mostly looked old. Yes, that was the only way to describe it. There was the slight musk of mold and dust in the air. The place didn't seem to get much light at all, and everything seemed dusty and unused. Even the red carpeting underneath his feet sent waves of dust when he applied pressure. Normally Hayner would have forgotten his manors and just asked if anyone ever cleaned the place, but the setting was enough to wilt any talking as he sipped lemonade in silence.
"So." Sora started, and Hayner nearly choked on his drink due to the abrupt break in the silent, oppressing room. "Are you ready to talk to Roxas about it?"
"Yeah," Hayner replied sheepishly, running a hand through his hair.
"Will you apologize to him? For leaving him all alone when you should have stayed with him like a good friend?" The tone Sora had was biting, and he looked up at the other with an indescribable look.
"Hey." Hayner stood up, affronted. "This is between him and me. I'll apologize for what I think I need to apologize for."
"You blinded him." Sora barked back, bitterly. "You left him alone and he went blind."
"It wasn't my fault the place was dark! He's the one who tripped and fell onto the..." Hayner's fists were clenched, teeth gritted as he watched the other accuse him.
"I know what you did. You and the others brought Roxas over to the abandoned house not too far away from here. You thought it would be fun to see who was brave enough to spend the night there without chickening out. And then, when you got scared, you and all your little friends ran off, leaving Roxas by himself. And when he ran trying to catch up with you, he tripped and fell on the floor. There were rusted nails sticking out of those boards you know!" Sora didn't stand up, nor did he raise his voice over a venemous whisper, but the threat was there all the same.
Hayner huffed, slamming his drink down on the coffee table in front of him. "I'll come back when I'm not going to be yelled at."
He didn't even bother saying any more. He just up and walked out the door, slamming it shut behind him. Outside, the wind blew through all the trees, scattering leaves around him in torrents. Hayner wrapped his arms around himself, shivering. When had the day that started out so hot become this cold? He figured it was because the sun was setting, casting even more shadows than before. It would be a bit of a long way home, but he thought he could manage.
There was a rustling from behind, and he spun around quickly, expecting Sora to come up wailing, but there was no one. Just the wind blowing the fallen leaves around and the pounding of his own heart. He forced a smile on his face. Just his imagination. That was when it hit him, or rather poked him. There was something prodding his back and he turned around to see Sora, holding out a baseball bat high above his head. Before Hayner could react, the thing came swinging down, smacking him hard in the jaw. If he hadn't jumped away a little, it might have killed him, but the sickening crack of the bones breaking was enough to let him know it was broken.
Pain seared through his face as he let out a cry and backed away, but the other was persistent, running at him, and swinging the bat again, this time right above the blonde's head. Hayner's body crumpled to the ground, blood starting to pour from his pounding temple. With a cry, Sora brought the bat down again, bashing at the other's skull until there was a crack, blood oozing out to mix with fractured bone and brain matter. Sora didn't even register the other's cries over his own manic panting. After all was said and done, he threw the bat down, looking at the other's mangled head and limp body. With a smile, he reentered the house.
"Sora?" A muffled voice came from up the stairs and Sora walked to the base of the steps to see Roxas staring down at him. Even in the dim light, he could see the other's shining, milky eyes looking off blankly.
"Ah, up from your nap, sleepy head?" Sora laughed.
"Only because you woke me up. What was all that noise?" Roxas smiled none the less, starting his slow decent down the stairs.
"Stupid rabbits trying to get into the strawberry patch again. I scared them off." Sora shrugged.
"And the strawberries are saved." Roxas laughed, finally making it to his brother and resting a hand on his shoulder. "You're always watching out for this place."
"Well, mom and dad have been gone for a while. I have to. I'm always going to take care of you, Roxy. No matter what."
I love Hayner. I love having characters die in violent ways more