YFOD: Hey. I just kinda wrote this when I realized two things. One, the plot bunnies keep attacking. And, two, I wanted to make a more family oriented-fic. This is kinda based on Sai and her sister in Angelic Layer. You can see slight SoRoku if you squint and put the fic under a microscope…
I don't own Kingdom Hearts.
Chapter One
"Here, Roxas, eat something." Sora pushed the tray to his brother, trying to get him to eat a portion of questionable-looking soup. Roxas eyed the bowl, and finally took the provided spoon and put it into his mouth, swallowing slowly. He shrugged, before pushing the tray away.
"I'm not hungry." He said quietly. Sora closed his eyes with a small shake of his head, knowing that he wouldn't get any headway from Roxas, and took the soup from him and putting it away. He left it in the sink, knowing Cloud would get it later. He came back in, to find Roxas making his way to the bathroom.
"I'm taking a shower." Sora nodded, leaving Roxas to his obstacle.
Twenty minutes later, he pokes his head in.
Through a silhouette in the shower curtain, he can see his brother's hands shaking as he attempts to shampoo his hair. Sora sighed, before stripping and stepping into the shower with him. He gently guides his brother's hands to his sides, and rubs the shampoo into Roxas' honey-blonde hair.
"I can do it." It was almost a whisper. Sora felt a tear roll down his cheek, unrecognizable in the water spraying from the shower head.
"Of course you can." Sora smiled softly, and stepped back, allowing Roxas to take up his original task. He made his way out of the shower, and, after drying off and putting his clothing back on, out of the room. He sat on the living room couch, laptop in hand, and turns the television on.
Roxas emerges an hour later, hair dripping, and clothing dotted with water. Sora watched him move slowly to his bedroom, using the wall as support, and disappears into his room, undoubtedly going back to sleep.
Sora is worried. He waits five more hours for Cloud to come home. He does, throwing his coat into a closet and finding Sora on the couch.
"How is he?" He asked, knowing and dreading the answer.
"Not any better." Sora bites his lip and looked down. Cloud collapsed next to him, putting a hand to his forehead.
Sora closes the computer, gets up, and motions for Cloud to follow. He opens Roxas' door quietly.
He's as he has been, deathly pale and eyes screwed shut. Cloud rests his hand over Sora's on the doorknob, closing the door.
"Let him rest." He guides Sora to his own room. "And you should, too."
"Dad." He was barely speaking, breathing the words. Cloud pauses, and looks over his shoulder, nodding at him to speak. "He needs help. Real help. Hospitals." Sora stares into his father's blue eyes. Cloud nods.
"I know. But it's too hard to keep up with the bills. I don't have the money for it, Sora." He closes his eyes. Sora feels tears pricking at his own.
"…I know."
"Goodnight, Sora."
"Night, Dad." Cloud walks out of the room. Sora leans back on the many pillows of his bed, and allows the tears to trickle down his cheeks.
Why him?
Why Roxas?
oOo
The next day, it is Cloud who brings his youngest son breakfast. He cracks open the door with one hand, balancing the tray on the other. He peers in at his ward, and finding him awake, walks in. Roxas spares him a glance, and the tray is placed in his lap. He looks at the food, toast and cereal, and finds he doesn't have an appetite.
"Eat." Cloud orders, taking a seat next to him, making sure he knew that he would not move from that spot until he finished. Roxas shifted in the bed, propping himself up on the bed, pulling the tray closer. With a glance at his father, who nodded, he brought the first spoonful to his lips.
About eight minutes later, he was throwing it all up in the toilet, his father rubbing his back soothingly, before leading him back to his bed and making sure he was sleeping again before he leaves. He closes the door slowly, making sure not to make any noise. He sighs deeply, sitting on the old, worn sofa and pinching the bridge of his nose.
He contemplates whether he should stay here with his son and risk being fired, or go to work and leave his sickly child to himself. But he already knows what his choice is.
He rises slowly and makes his way to his job.
Because he most certainly cannot risk being fired.
He cannot risk losing his only means of pay.
He gets in the car, and with a final glance at the small house, he drives away.
Roxas will understand.
oOo
Roxas awoke to an empty house. His father has gone to work, and Sora is at school. He is almost too weak to open his eyes, and most certainly too weak to get up. He drew in a broken, ragged breath, wondering if he could make it to the bathroom, should he vomit again. He sighed, letting out the huge breath, coughing slightly as he did so. His coughs grew louder, and he was full-out hacking, hand at his mouth, screwing his eyes shut, and waiting for it to pass.
He felt something wet on his hand. His eyes opened, and he studied the thick crimson liquid he had spewed out on the pale skin. His heart sank, and he felt a heavy bubble of despair rising in his throat. He popped it quickly, drawing in another ragged breath, wiping the blood on his already filthy sheets. He just lied there for minutes, thinking that he wouldn't live for much longer.
Sora and Dad thought he didn't know.
They thought he was oblivious to the impending danger, thought he still believed that he would recover.
The truth was, it was frighteningly real. It loomed over him, waiting patiently for him to go, and he had long since given up on any hope that he would recover. Long since given in to his inescapable fate.
He felt a tear slip down his cheek, which he wiped away quickly, refusing to cry.
He would die with dignity.
End of Chapter One
YFOD: Man, I gotta get started on my math homework. Thanks for reading, though!