Down a Dark Alley and to the Left

It wasn't ever sunny in that World. Ever. A world which didn't really exist… it was lucky enough to have a make-shift moon; it dared not wish for a sun. It hid away from everyone, everything, and yet while there were times when it was dark, there were also times in which it was Darker. That was one of those times as the skies showing the rest of the Worlds were covered by clouds, blocking even the rare glimmers of Light from shining down on the deserted streets. Even Kingdom Hearts shone down dimly, making visibility itself an uncertain illusion at best.

That was part of why he never really liked clouds.

"Looks like it's gonna rain soon…" He muttered as he turned to look at his companion, only to once again be faced with his back as he walked away. He pursed his lips, fists clenching as he unrooted his feet and hurried on after him, struggling to keep up with his pace. "Talk about a man on a mission…" The blond of the two muttered, yet received not an indication he was even heard.
"…talk about a cold hearted prick!" He barked as he came to a stop, stomping his foot down. All he was rewarded with was the other walking on, never once looking back.

Small wonder though, he reckoned as he turned his eyes up at the sky. Roxas was, after all was said and done – a Nobody. His Existence – or lack thereof – was not to be acknowledged by anybody – not even his Somebody.

In other words – he was used to it.

–

"Now… aren't you just needlessly stalling?" The blond teased during an occasion as rare as a blue moon – Sora actually took a break. "…the floor can't possibly be that comfortable." He uttered from across the street, arms pressed behind him as he had his back to the wall. His knee was upraised, foot pressed not too low under his rear. "But you're not going to answer that, now are you?" Roxas hissed lightly, eyes set on the boy sitting across from him on the floor. One leg set forward, the other was upraised, knee serving as a resting place for his arm. His forearm served in turn as a resting place for his forehead, his eyes set unseeingly on a random spot on the road, or was that a random spot in the air between him and the black cement? It didn't rightfully matter though, now did it? What did matter was that for the shortest while Sora was letting his Body rest – in expense of his Heart.

"You're thinking about them again, aren't you…" Roxas muttered, only to look up a second later at the sound of crackling thunder.

"It's close…" he heard Sora say and felt himself shrug.

"Too bad, huh? Better start looking for shelter…"

Yet Sora simply pushed himself up to his feet and dashed away, body moving swiftly through the Darkness tainted air.

"…or we can cover as much distance as possible before it starts pouring." Roxas muttered before a vein popped in his forehead. "Oy! Listen when people are talking to you!"

He fell silent a moment later as he heard lightning strike again, making him look up over his shoulder at the sky. It really was close… and was only getting closer… Unlike Sora's figure, he reckoned as he turned to look back ahead, the colorfully clothed youth about to fade out of sight.

Roxas forced his eyes to remain open, not daring to miss even one glimpse of the other. Oh, he needn't worry about catching up, he reckoned as he felt himself begin to dematerialize. You see, a Shadow could only be in the presence of two things – one was a source of Light. The other – an object which blocked said Light, thus shaping the Shadow in its own image. Wherever Sora went, the Light followed – thus did his Shadow. Wherever Sora went, so did his Nobody, forever more attached to he whom shed him, even when he was so far ahead. One couldn't rid himself of his Shadow; not even the Keyblade Master of Light. Thus Roxas was to follow soon enough, floating like black fog after him. Just like so, he reckoned and glanced after Sora as he ran – just past that corner and there he'll be, standing right next to Sora, and together they'll walk… down… that… street.

Blue eyes snapped open as Roxas realized exactly where Sora was heading, and worse – why he shouldn't be heading in that direction, least of all in his condition.
"Wait, stop!" He cried out, not even running as he reached out for Sora. Luck so had it that the next moment he materialized in front of him, feet planted firmly on the ground and arms spread wide. "You can't go there! SO-" the rest of the name failed to leave his lips as Sora kept on dashing, never stopping, never even slowing down –

Never acknowledging the one in front of him.

The blonde's eyes widened in disbelief as his Other ran on – right on through him.

It was one thing to be ignored when talking; It was another thing to be looked at – and know you're being looked through.

This…? This was just much, much too much!

The sound of shoes screeching to a halt was lost to him as shudders rocked his body. Still in mid air, his hands clenched into fists, the leather of his gloves tightening as gravity finally registered, making his arms feel as though they were made of lead; ever so slowly they descended, unsteady in light of his shivering shoulders.

The first sounds of Darkness sizzling were hidden behind a sharp intake of breath; the sound indicating the materialization of a Blade was lost to teeth gritting. There was a limit to how much one could take before he broke, and that right there was apparently then for Roxas. Just because he was a Nobody, after all, didn't mean he didn't remember to try and care.
"Oh would you just for once in your li-" He yelled as he turned around to face him, anger steeling every last bit of his would-be-being even when tears of frustration were welling in his eyes. It too, however, dissolved into the same Nothingness as the Shadows in front of him did as he realized that something splashed over his face and neck. It was warm and moist and slowly began dripping over his skin, leaving behind a mark unlike the droplets which began falling around them, more and more with each passing second. He stared forward as the Keyblade slashed through the air repeatedly; as more and more of the Shadows around them came to life and sprang at what was without a doubt an exquisite meal-to-be; as less and less he could see, hear, as the water fell heavier around them.

His hand moving as though on its own, he realized he had reached for his cheek, eyes moving almost unseeingly to look down at his glove. While it was growing harder to tell it apart from the water droplets sliding over the leather, it was obvious that what came from his cheek was darker colored. Though it was slowly washed off by the rain, there was no doubt the stain on his skin was warm. And while Heartless no doubt originally came from living Human Beings –

Heartless didn't Bleed.

His fist clenched around the dark liquid, his eyes set over the black leather covering it. He already knew what he'd find once he looked up, he reckoned; this was, after all, why he tried to stop him… to save him.

But what could a Nobody save, he mused bitterly then as he watched the Shadows pile up, gather, draw together… attack all at once.

A Nobody after all couldn't even save his Self… why should he be able to save his Somebody?

No reason, he knew as the form of the boy so much like and yet unlike himself was swallowed underneath a pile of black mist and glowing yellow orbs.

No reason at all.

–

Blood trickled down tanned skin, staining torn clothes before falling a long way to the ground. All around them the Darkness that once formed the Shadows faded into Nothing, the Hearts released thus floating up towards the large Heart-shaped moon still seen past the clouds. The rain refused to let up, growing stronger still. It was all but impossible to see, yet Roxas could make it out clearly, the back of He he could've been, encompassing all that was best and worst in him.

In the end, he couldn't help him; lacking a tangible form meant just that – not only was he ignored, but he was forced to do the same – ignore the pained cries that filled the air; ignore the claws that slashed repeatedly at warm flesh; ignore the tormented expression on a face so much like his own; ignore the itch in his fingers that demanded he wielded a Blade no longer his own.

What good would paying attention do when he couldn't do a single thing?

Nothing.

It was better then to ignore, to pretend he couldn't see, only to foolishly forget a moment later.

The sound that finally broke through the rain after a small eternity of silence, he realized – were his own boots stepping in puddles. He shouldn't care, he hissed inwardly, he couldn't care… yet that meant very little as his hand rose towards an exposed, claw-marked shoulder. "Hey… are you-" Yet the instant his fingers were about to make contact was the moment Sora's knees gave way.

A pained gasp leaving his lips, Sora fell to his knees, just barely managing to keep from ending up fully sprawled on the floor; The Keyblade met the sidewalk and disappeared the next instant in a flash of light; The hand which gripped onto the Blade now held tightly onto his opposite arm, fingers staining red before long; His lips hung parted, shivering like the rest of him as he fought for breath.

He couldn't even hold his head up.

It took a very long moment for Roxas to realize he wasn't staring at the back of anyone's head anymore. Having that realization slowly sink made him lower his gaze at the shuddering pile of limbs on the floor. It was… something he had rarely seen before. Anger, frustration, despair, hurt… so many things he was used to seeing…

"…say…"

Anywhere else.

"Are you…" Roxas began asking with something bordering awe. The boy who usually wore a smile, who stood tall, who shone so brightly… broke down into pieces right in front of his very eyes.

"Are you crying, Sora?" He managed, finally letting himself acknowledge the meaning behind the rocking shoulders; the hitching breathes… the gasps for air, for help. A moment later, though he had to wonder – why he even bothered. It wasn't a question he was about to have answ-

"It's…"

Roxas's eyes snapped open as he stared down at the curled up figure on the floor. It couldn't be, his… his ears were playing tricks on him due to the rain, that… that was it, wasn't it? Just a trick played on his ears… it made sense, seeing how it was –

"It's raining…" Roxas heard Sora half hiccup and could only wince as he stared at his fallen Self attempt to push himself up - Slowly… painfully… stubbornly…

"…oy…" Roxas attempted, noticing every pained shiver that ran down Sora's body at the movement. "You're… you're hurting yourself!" He exclaimed, seeing more and more dark stains spread over Sora's clothes. Unable to hear, or unwilling, Sora resumed moving until he was seated upright, legs bent underneath him as he struggled to keep from falling again. One thing in particular struck Roxas then, seeing that through the agonized wince, the bitten lower lip… the damp hair sticking to the sides of his face and the blood rapidly drying down his cheek…

Sora was smiling.

That was all it really took, and the following moment Roxas realized he was swaying, feeling unsteady on his feet. How… could he… how…
It wasn't even frustration that brought Roxas down to his knees, eyes set on the middle of that torn, ragged vest. How could he, in his state… with his body beaten and bruised and his friends missing and his Hope all but gone… how… with that smile…
"…liar." He heard himself utter, the last thing that registered as he leaned forward, forehead pressing between Sora's shoulder-blades. He couldn't smile… he simply couldn't! Even a Nobody knew that much! And yet… at the same time… that stupid, frustrating grin… never fading… never once being real. "Sora you stupid liar!"
Said stupid smile only grew wider as the tears kept streaming down his cheeks, all but impossible to tell apart from the raindrops that dripped down his hair over his skin.
"…it's raining."
And no one knew quite better than Roxas, seeing how that was the only explanation to the wetness streaming down his own cheeks.