Title: Living My Life
Word count: 3,541
Chapter I: There is only so much torture I can take...
Summary: Roxas and Kairi move back with their mother after a dark history with their father. Things aren't as they seem as everyone at Academy now knows.
He couldn't take this much longer. There was only so much a human body could take, so much torture. Being whipped, knifed, raped repeatedly. It was more than he could bear. He always wondered what he did wrong, what he could have possibly done to deserve this kind of treatment. He repeatedly prayed to God to rescue him from this life.
He winced as he landed another punch on his already bruised stomach.
"Worthless slut." He said harshly as he drove his fist into the young boy's stomach. The boy doubled over in obvious pain. "Just like your mother."
Mother? What mother? This wasn't the first time he'd heard about a mother.
"Moth-" That was all he got out before a knee knocked into his stomach, making him fall to his knees. The man glared roughly down.
"If you didn't please my friends so much, I would have killed you a long time ago. But you did. All of your innocent, naïve pleading to stop hurting you. But not anymore, I got a complaint. Your stupid life is going to flash before your eyes. And guess who I am going after next?" The boy's eyes widened.
"No! Leave her alone!"
"Enough out of you!" He roared before throwing him into the library. He sailed across the room, falling against the oak bookcase. He groaned as another bruise on his arms was added to his many injuries. "Get up!" He did and was rewarded with a punch to the eye. He now had a matching set. Oh the joy.
He gripped the book, it fell with his weight. He remembered a warning from the guard that was given earlier today. He didn't think much of it and thank god he remembered. He looked down and saw the book title, Moby Dick.
Behind a whale of a story, lies your weapon, your last stand.
He felt behind where the book fell and wrapped his fingers around a revolver, it was tiny, but not too small as to have a bullet that wouldn't kill. He slipped it in his back pocket.
He looked up to see the man grab a Glock and point it at the boy.
"You die tonight." He was about to pull the trigger when it wouldn't go off. He swore colorfully and the boy used the distraction to pull out the small handgun and point it at his torturer. "Kid, you don't know how to use that. Put it down before I torture you do death after taking your precious red headed sister."
Scowling with disgust, he spoke.
"You should pick better employees, Sephiroth." The man widened his eyes and glared at the kid before the boy pulled the trigger. It went straight into his heart. He choked on the pain and died almost instantly. He dropped the gun and fell to the ground, breathing hard.
He gathered his strength and yelled, "Xaldin!"
He rushed into the room and saw his master lying on the floor and saw the boy and rushed to him.
"Kid." He said almost affectionately. "You did it." There was pride in his voice.
"He was going to hurt my sister." He whispered painfully.
"Bastard."
"Xaldin…"
"Yeah, kid?"
"Did I take you away from Saïx?" His voice took on a teasing edge.
"Kid, you can do that whenever you want. You know that."
"Saïx feel the same?"
"Definitely." Saïx's voice came from the doorway. An affectionate edged into his tone. He smiled at his lover and the boy he considered a little brother.
"I need a cellular. You got one?" He asked to both of them. Xaldin whipped out a flip phone and handed it to him. He punched in a number that he memorized. He wheezed as he inhaled and the two men looked at him in concern. He tried smiling reassuringly but ended up wincing.
"Hello?" said a sleepy voice. 'Who is it, Cloud?' asked an equally sleepy voice.
"Hey, Cloud." He whispered.
"Roxas!" He could see him sitting up, running a hand through his blonde spikey locks. "What…happened?"
"Listen. Get Leon up by whatever means necessary. There are three men in the library, second floor. Sephiroth's house. Murder scene. Two men are witnesses. Their names are Xaldin Fisher and Saïx Thornton. I will be at the hospital. I will call you as soon as I am conscious."
"Are you okay?"
"I killed him, Cloud."
"Rox…"
"I need you to document the scene and I need a trial straight away. I need to get Kairi back to Aerith and I need to get some medical attention. Get here as soon as I can. Do not visit me in the hospital until I have called you."
"Okay." He sounded close to tears. "Is it bad?"
"I took Kairi's too."
"Jesus Christ."
"Nope, just Roxas."
"You're such a dickhead."
"Yeah. Cloud, these guys are the reason I'm alive. It's not their fault."
"It's not yours either."
"I'll see you soon, Cloudy."
"Get better soon."
He hung up.
"Who wants to drive me to the hospital?"
Luxord looked at the blonde kid in the passenger seat on the way to the hospital. He looked like shit, understandably. That kid was something else. Tough as nails. He was sensitive but he hardened and grew up fast. It was not fair. He looked to Roxas with admiration. Only he could get out of his situation. He didn't wallow, he just bore the pain and dealt with it. He knew that Roxas hated his mother and Luxord would too.
Aerith's family had a genetic trait for bearing twins. Aerith had two sets of twins. Cloud was first; no one was sure of whom his father even was. But then Roxas and Sora were born. Sephiroth had made a deal with Aerith, she could divorce him if he got the first born of each sets of twins she bore. She agreed, thinking only of herself and not of her children. That was before he got violent and got into the child pornography business.
Roxas Strife was born six pounds four ounces five point six minutes before Sora Strife. Cloud got into a huge fight with his mother over Roxas. No child should go to that man. But instead of turning him in to the authorities like any law abiding citizen who genuinely loved their children would, she didn't. She handed Roxas over to Sephiroth a half hour after his birth. The babe immediately started crying, he knew he wasn't in the right parents arms. But his mother did nothing, just let the child cry.
The next day, Cloud drew up legal papers announcing his emancipation from his mother. He slapped her, told her he would never forgive her, ever and walked out of his house with only the clothes he had bought with his part time job. Sora was a brunette and had a very happy-go-lucky attitude. But he always knew something was wrong. No one had the heart to tell him.
Then Aerith got pregnant with another set of twins. Girls this time. Kairi Strife was born first and was handed over. She was quieter than the other child. Roxas was no more than ten months older than Kairi. He took all of the torture that Sephiroth would have inflicted on Kairi onto him.
After the birth of Naminé and Kairi, Aerith got her tubes tied.
Luxord pulled into the parking lot and lifted the kid into his arms. Luckily, Sephiroth's guards liked the kids. They educated them up to their grad levels. Sephiroth only came to the mansion once a month to rape and torture Roxas and then left. The guards were to look after them. And they did. They roughed up Roxas upon Roxas' insistence so they wouldn't get relocated. Kairi was locked in a dungeon that was cleaned and kept free of bugs and rodents, fed regularly and was bought new clothes often. It was a comfortable bedroom more than a dungeon, but that was what they told Sephiroth when he inquired about them. He had no reason to doubt his 'loyal' employees.
He sat him in a comfortable chair and knew he was struggling to stay awake.
"Sir, take a clipboard and fill out the insurance. There will be a twenty minute wait."
"Listen lady, you know who Sephiroth is?" She didn't even look up.
"He's wanted for child pornography and rape of a minor." She huffed.
"Yeah he is. He was killed tonight. And he liked to torture the kids before raping and then killing them, guess what? His latest one, his own son, is here right now with enough injuries to kill a person and by some miracle he is stubborn enough to come out of it alive." Oh that got her attention. She looked up and looked at Roxas and took in his appearance. "Oh and if that isn't enough, I can kill you and do it myself instead." She took the phone and pressed a button. "Doctor Ansem to Emergency Room. Doctor Ansem to Emergency Room." Boomed over the intercom.
A doctor came rushing in.
"Yes?"
"This is the newest Sephiroth case." Was all she said before popping her pink gum and continuing her work.
"Can you tell me more?" He asked Luxord.
"His name is Roxas. He has been tortured for a long time by Sephiroth. He's his son. He is the strongest, nicest guy you'll ever meet. Just please, fix him." He pleaded.
"I won't charge him for it." He nodded and picked up Roxas. "I need your name so the nurses know who to call."
"Luxord."
"Okay, Luxord. We'll do x-rays and cat scans. Should take a couple hours, if there is no internal bleeding, he should be able to go home tonight."
"Thank you."
Meanwhile, Cloud arrived at the mansion with Leon.
"Why haven't you reported it?" ever the lawyer.
"You don't think I would have if I could have?" Cloud hissed. Leon flushed.
"Sorry. The law degree. I didn't mean it."
"I know you didn't, Leon. I love you. You know that. I know you. Or else I wouldn't have been with you as long as I have." Leon smiled and pecked his cheek.
"Let's do this." They got out of the car and Cloud easily found the library and saw the two men, talking heatedly. The one with blue hair recognized him. He had long sweeping waves of bright blue hair and short spikes littered the top of his head and it covered his red eyes. His companion, obviously lover, by the way he glared at Cloud for looking at the blue haired man was tall, strong, and burly. He had black hair. It swept past his shoulders and had jet black sideburn which ran farther than normal into his cheeks almost to his nose. The top half of his hair was fastened into a bun with two pieces of bangs falling into his face. His blue eyes glittered with possessiveness. He snaked his arm around Saïx and pulled him into his lap.
Saïx wasn't angry about his possessiveness, he smiled and welcomed it. He liked the jealous boyfriend and the affection it earned him. He grinned at the kiss that was planted on his neck as his lover glared at Cloud. He knew that Cloud was romantically entangled with Leon but he never missed a chance to stake his claim.
"You must be Cloud." Xaldin snarled at Cloud.
"Yes."
"I'm Xaldin and this is Saïx." He's mine. Was spoken with the eyes.
"What can you tell me?"
"Sephiroth loved to abuse Roxas. I hid a gun in the bookshelf. I told him about it. He was thrown in here; he was going to kill Roxas. I heard a gun shot go off. I thought Sephiroth had killed Roxas when I heard Roxas yell for me." Xaldin said.
"Yes."
"He wanted to call Cloud. That's when you got here. That sums it up. Roxas wants a trial as soon as possible. I emptied out the rounds of Sephiroth's guns to give Roxas more time. I taught him how to shoot, how to fight, how to survive torture. He requested it."
"I understand." Cloud spoke.
"I am glad." Saïx spoke up. "We will be witnesses in the case. We have witnessed his violence towards Roxas. Xigbar will bring you to Kairi. You will she that she is in perfect health."
"I would expect no less. Leon, stay here, get statements. Call the police. Tell me immediately if Roxas calls."
"Xiggy!"
"I said stop calling me that, you hell rat!" He popped in through the door and froze at the sight of whose lap Saïx was sitting on.
"You better not be talking to Saïx that way, Xigbar." Xaldin spoke evenly.
"Of course not! I am goddamned worried. I want to know if Roxas is okay and I wish that Luxord was here!" He whined at the end. All four men rolled their eyes.
"Xigbar, bring Cloud to his sister, Kairi."
"Cloud." He straightened. "Follow me."
"Kairi!" The door was opened to reveal a silhouette of a beautiful seventeen year old girl. Her red hair was shoulder length exactly like her sister's. She whipped around and grinned, running to her brother.
"Cloud!" She wrapped her arms around her older brother that the guards snuck in occasionally.
"You okay?"
"He never touches me. Never sees me. Only Roxas. How is he? I assume Sephiroth is dead?"
"Roxas killed him."
"No."
"He did it to protect you. I am almost certain that he'll get off with self-defense. We are going to have a really strong testimony. Leon's working the case."
"I don't want Roxas to rot in prison for defending himself and me!" She sobbed. She couldn't stop crying.
"Shh, Kairi. You'll be living with me until the case. It should be in a couple days. You'll be sent back to your mother."
"No! I don't want to be with her!"
"She is quite wealthy and you could live comfortably. Roxas is going to be going there too. Right after he gets off for self-defense."
"Really?"
"Just…just don't be too mean to her. Roxas is allowed to be mad at her, hate her even. But just get to know her and then if you still feel that same as Roxas does, then you can hate her."
"You moved out." She pointed out.
"I know. I couldn't stand the person she became." Kairi frowned.
"If Roxas will, I will."
"There you go. Atta girl. Roxas and you are made from the same stuff." Kairi was wrapped in a hug. "You are the pride of his life, you know that." She nodded.
Luxord was pacing with his cell phone in his hand, pacing in the waiting room. Then finally Doctor Ansem came out.
"Well?"
"Two broken ribs and lots of bruises. I gave him instructions on how to care for himself. I also checked for…ahem…STD's. He's clean. He's healthy, a little underfed but that can be easily remedied." Luxord nodded and Ansem smiled at him. "He is lucky to have such caring people around him."
"He has to go on trial soon."
"For the murder?" He nodded.
"I will testify." Luxord nodded, biting his nail. Ansem smiled affectionately.
"My boyfriend is going to be so worried about me. It's bad enough that Roxas is hospitalized, but now…"He trailed off, playing with his cell phone subconsciously.
"Why don't you call him?"
"I can't. Not until Roxas is done speaking with Cloud." Ansem nodded.
"You may go in. He wasn't knocked out." Luxord nodded and went in the room. He was wrapped in bandages and his stomach was completely gauzed. There was no IV in his wrist and he was speaking on the ivory phone that he had glued to his ear.
"I am coming home soon Cloud. Yes. Okay. We'll talk about it when I come back to the Mansion. Yes, I know. I promise. Yeah bye." Roxas smiled at Luxord.
"Hey." He grinned flirtatiously. "You know you didn't have to break two of your ribs to get my attention."
"How else could I get it?" He replied coquettishly.
"My boyfriend might have a problem with it."
"It's okay. I have others." He replied.
Luxord smiled and lifted Roxas into his arms and walked out of the hospital after signing him out and shielding Roxas from outsider's views. They wanted to see the kid that got sexually and physically abused by Sephiroth. Vultures.
Luxord grabbed the medicine and took off to the mansion.
"Look, I know you miss your boyfriend and want some action in the bedroom. But I just got released from the hospital; can we not visit it again so soon?"
"Sorry, Rox." Roxas smiled at him as he brought the speed down.
"I know he's worried, but it is going to be okay. I'm okay. I know it's not my fault. Some people are just fucked up in the head."
"You are so wise, kid. Sometimes I forget that you're an eighteen year old guy."
"It happens." He shrugged. Luxord barked a laugh and ruffled Roxas' hair affectionately.
Kairi, Leon, Roxas and Cloud just spent time together, listening to music, watching TV and just doing family things when all of a sudden the court date was upon them. Kairi kept sobbing and clinging to Roxas as if he was going to be put on death row for something he didn't do. Cloud pried her off him and threatened her.
"If you keep this up, you're not going to the trial." That shut her up. She still held his hand to the trial. This was just going to be Roxas talking to a judge, calling witnesses. He wasn't allowed a lawyer upon Roxas' request and they're speaking in front of a jury.
"Case 241 Roxas Strife against the State of California. Judge Judy McElroy presiding." Everyone stood.
"You may be seated. Roxas Strife step forth." Roxas stepped forward. "What do you plead?"
"Self-defense." He said with the upmost confidence. The judge wrote something down; the jurors slouched, thinking this would be a boring trial.
"Call your testimonies."
"Xaldin Fisher. Saïx Thornton. And Doctor Ansem."
"Mr. Fisher, come up to the stand."
"Do you promise to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God." Asked an assistant of the court, as Xaldin pressed a hand to a Bible and the other hand up in the air in the oath.
"I do."
"You may be seated."
"What can you tell us about the relationship of Roxas Strife and Mr. Sephiroth?"
"Sephiroth abused Roxas sexually and physically. He was put into Sephiroth's custody when he was born. We took care of him."
"We?"
"The guards assigned. Me, Saïx, Xigbar, Luxord, Vexen and Lexaeus. We took care of Roxas and Kairi."
"Kairi?"
"Roxas' sister."
"Was she abused?"
"She was going to be but Roxas took both punishments so his sister wouldn't have to suffer through the same as he had to."
"Meaning?"
"Rape. He didn't want his sister raped."
"You may step down." Xaldin nodded and Saïx was called up to the stage and the oath was uttered.
"What is your relationship to Roxas?"
"I am his friend, I suppose. We're not related or anything."
"I can see that."
"It's natural."
"Trust me, it is." Xaldin called out causing Saïx to blush. Whispers went up through the court. The judge banged her gavel. (Did that sound dirty to anyone else? Maybe it's just me…teehee…)
"Order!" It was quieted in the court.
"I feel like he's my brother. I would patch him up after Sephiroth left."
"Why didn't you go to the authorities?"
"What would I say? Sephiroth is abusing him. Sephiroth had high people in high places. He had enough dirt on us to keep us there and quiet. Yeah we didn't tell the cops because there was a chance that he might end up dead. We weren't willing to take that chance."
"You may step down."
"Thanks!" He said brightly and snuggled up to his boyfriend and Xaldin wrapped an arm around and pressed a kiss to his bright blue hair. Ansem got called up to the stand and got sworn in.
"You cared for Roxas Strife in the hospital, correct?"
"Yes."
"And what did you find?"
"Two broken ribs, his rectum was widened more than natural and I knew he'd been raped, multiple times. Lots of bruises, cuts. Signs of abuse were clear. He is malnourished and underfed. But those are easily repaired. They are not permanent. However the mental damage is."
"And what are your thoughts on Mr. Sephiroth."
"I am sorry I didn't do it myself."
"And why is that?"
"I have had girls come to me pregnant and were scared. I have had kids, both boys and girls, in the morgue because they wouldn't submit to him. That man was the cruelest man I have ever met."
"Thank you. You may step down." Ansem nodded.
Twenty minutes later, a member of the jury stood up.
"We the jury declare Roxas Strife not guilty of murder in the case of Sephiroth. It was self-defense."
"Thank you. Congratulations Roxas and call me anytime if you want to talk." The woman smiled kindly and cracked the gavel again.
On a personal note, I have had this story in my head for a couple days now but didn't know how to start it. I got my idea in the shower (Where all my inspiration comes from) and I decided that I was going to dive right into the angst. Life isn't pretty, it isn't nice and situations like this happen to good people. Not me personally but I know that people are sick.
Now this is more angsty than my usual stuff (read other stories on my homepage) and I have added yet another element that I have never written before. Lesbian love. I got nothing against them. I will just have to try. But don't worry, that doesn't come until a later chapter.
Let me tell you the characters in this story:
Akaseru "Axel" Flynn
Demikkuso "Demyx" O'Donahue
Zekushion "Zexion"Corazza
Marluxia Gray
Larxene Gray
Xemnas Peter
Roxas Strife
Sora Strife
Cloud Strife
Squall "Leon"Leonhart
Aerith Strife
Kairi Strife
Naminé Strife
Xigbar Stuart
Xaldin Fisher
Saïx Thornton
Luxord Downes
Vexen Prince
Lexaeus Tachiki
This is a dark piece with bits of suggested rape (Well actual rape but…) I will try and make up for it with lots of fluff.
Toodles.
Mace-ember-221