Yay I'm glad to see people have spotted the sequel! Hope it turns out okay though.
"Roxas!" Cloud immediately called out when Naminé's front door nearly slammed opened. Roxas looked up from his meal from the kitchen but in an instant he was practically picked up and hugged hard.
"Ow…hi Dad…" he somehow got out, as Cloud often forgets how strong he really can be.
"Cloud…Love, you're killing him," Leon stated as he took his time to approach his first son. Cloud gave Leon a look before slowly releasing Roxas who took a quick intake of breath.
"I just can't believe it…you were actually right," said Cloud when he stared long and hard at Roxas as he lightly hit Leon who glared back at his lover,
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Yeah, what IS that supposed to mean?" Roxas questioned after getting back in his seat to finish his pancake stack.
"Erm, nothing to worry your little head over, alright?" Cloud ruffled the boy's hair and Roxas couldn't believe he was gonna think it, but…
"Wow…I actually miss Dad's caring words that sound so monotone…"
Naminé finally arrived from downstairs and greeted her parents.
"Oh Daddy, Otosan, how have you two been?" she asked as she hugged them.
"Very well, thank you for asking. I hope my only girl is doing alright?" said Cloud and Naminé smiled for him,
"I am!"
"How have I been? Tired," Leon replied and Cloud lightly hits him, "What? I can't complain a little?"
"The twins?" Naminé asked and they both nodded, "Where are they now?"
"Dropped them off with Aerith and Zack," Cloud replied and Roxas immediately looked up.
"Are you crazy, Dad?" he exclaimed only to receive confused looks from his parents, "Dad! Did you forget the first and last sleepover they had over at their house?"
Apparently so…Leon and Cloud couldn't quite recall anything bad happening to their kids over at Aerith and Zack's place. Roxas only shook his head at that,
"Is it really that possible to forget Zack and Aerith's little brat?"
"Mmmm Ventus…"
"Aaaaah! Sora help me!" Ventus cried and the brunette that was happily enjoying Aerith's chocolate chip cookies while playing video games in the game room, turned his head to see the blonde being dragged before away from his sketchpad. His hands latched onto the opening of a door before he was about to disappear into a bedroom.
"Sora!" he cried again and Sora rolled his eyes before getting up to leave the game room, walk across the hallway, and then leaned down to take Ventus's hands so he can start pulling, "Ah! Sora! I said help! Not play tug-of-war with my body!"
"Vat da mimute!" Sora tried to say with the cookie in his mouth. Next thing they knew, Sora fell after the other party dropped Ventus and they both hit the ground.
"Sora, you're supposed to LET me drag your brother into my bedroom," the spiky black-haired boy stated as he approached the two. Ventus immediately sat up, pulled Sora into a sitting position too, and then hid behind him with teary eyes.
"I'm telling my parents you tried to rape me again!"
Sora finished the cookie and looked over his shoulder,
"I'm sure if Vanitas was trying to rape you, he would've done it on…well, a long time ago. Like our last sleepover here."
"I was MOLESTED in my SLEEP!" Ventus exclaimed in reminder.
"Hehe, hey, no worries there, VenVen…because we know we can't rape the willing," Vanitas smirked as he bent down but Ventus only buried his face in Sora's shoulder.
"Leave me aloooone!"
Soon, Aerith heard Ventus's outbursts at this point and it landed Vanitas in trouble…again. Trouble usually just includes him having a talk with Zack, with talk meaning lecture, on the difference between love and lust…again.
"How did Sora end up being best friends with THAT guy?" Roxas asked out loud, wondering how the only brunette child his in family, named after the certain, important, guiding friend; was bffs with Zack and Aerith's troublemaking child, Vanitas.
"That's actually a good question," said Leon and Cloud smacked him again, "What? I'm sure anyone that didn't know of Zack's existence would wonder how Aerith ended up with a son like Vanitas!" The family was gathered in the living room, all trying to get in the mindset of helping Roxas with his problem. Of course, they all easily got sidetracked with other topics; which happens often whenever the family gathers, especially when Sora and Ventus were growing up in the early years. Those two were their only topics of conversation due to Sora having a striking resemblance to the original man he was named after; plus Ventus growing up looking exactly like Roxas. It took weeks before they all just pinned the blame on mako for messing with the genetic makeup. Since then, the twins became a boring topic to talk about unless Vanitas or Roxel was involved.
"Oh yeah, before I forget…" Roxas started, already a bit nervous to say, "My excuse for being out of the house was that you were in the hospital and thus I'm staying with you for a while. So if they ask, that was the story!"
Cloud only raised a brow at that,
"Great…now we need to tell Sora and Ventus that I'm in the hospital," he rolled his eyes a bit and sighed at that. Though the family wasn't sure if that was sarcastic or not.
"Well, we could always tell them what's going on too," Naminé suggested with a shrug.
"No! Sora's a big-mouth!" Roxas immediately exclaimed, "And he's got…well way more friends than I ever had."
"Well we better think of a new story fast then," Leon stated, "Because eventually, Roxel IS going to ask Sora and Ventus about this."
"Okay, um…for now we'll stick to the hospital story but…" Cloud shook his head and paused for a moment before continuing, "Why couldn't we just say you ran away?"
"Probably because the cops will get involved then," Naminé immediately answered,
"With THAT family? Who's going to bother calling?" Leon reminded with a raised brow and Roxas just gave his father a look. Even though at this point in life, Roxas knew that Axel never really was liked by ANYONE in his family. But still, it's been YEARS; you'd think Axel would get even a little respect…but obviously not...especially when Roxel joined the family.
"Come on Otosan, it's not like they're heartless," said Roxas,
"Could've fooled me," Leon stated bluntly but Roxas lowered his head, "Erm, not that it's true…" Leon tried to fix what he said. But it didn't really help Roxas as the now-boy couldn't help but believe some truth in that. What IF they never bothered calling the police if he turned up missing? Is it really…possible?
"Well the last thing we need is the police involved, we need to explain where Roxas is without arousing suspicion," said Cloud and the family found themselves back to square one.
"Oh!" Naminé snapped her fingers upon realization, "Isn't Uncle Vincent heading out to Twilight Town tomorrow?"
"You want me to lie or actually bring the boy along?" Vincent asked when the family called him up and put him on speaker.
"Would you rather have him with you or not?" Leon asked,
"…No. He stays; I'll lie for you if they somehow contact me. Ugh, how is it possible that your family just attracts trouble?"
"We do not!" Roxas exclaimed, "I'm not even sure how you're taking this so well! I SHRANK!"
Leon quickly took the phone and stood up,
"Um, I need to speak with him alone for a moment…" he said quickly and rushed out of the room, "Vincent! The kids don't KNOW about what happened to me!"
"Oh…right…alight, whatever, are we done?"
Leon lightly hit his head at how uncaring Vincent can be at this…
"Alright well, if the family calls you asking for Roxas, just make something up to why he can't speak to them."
"Right, I can do that I guess…what if they ask why he was with me in the first place?"
"I don't know, he owes you a favor on behalf of me?"
"…Hm, I will remember that."
"Vincent! I know you just took that literally!"
"Yeah I did, but that's because it's true."
"Ugh…alright, alright, we thank you Vincent," said Leon and sighed; not believing how he's forgotten what it was like working with Vincent. After hanging up with Vincent, Leon returned to the living room with the rest of the family.
"Well…I think that went well. Now I vote for telling the kids."
"Do we have to?" Roxas groaned, pretty sure that the moment Sora and Ventus sees him like this, they're going to lose all respect for him…
"He looks just like Ven-Nii…" the young brunette stated as he stared at the boy standing between his parents after he and his brother were picked up by Naminé.
"Yes, I know he looks just like Ven," said Cloud, "And you looked just like your Otosan when he was your age. Blame the mako!"
"I hope he doesn't grow up and look like me though…" Leon murmured.
"Mako's really weird…" the boy raised a brow as he put a hand on his hips.
"Yes we know it's weird, deal with it Sora and take him out to have fun!" Cloud ordered and shoved his oldest son at the brunette, "He needs a break from his family."
Sora merely pouted when he caught the blonde that looked pretty much exactly like his twin brother. Roxas had his own pout at Cloud's order. It's not exactly easy to have 'fun' even though he's supposedly, well, supposed to.
"Okay, I will…Here, Ven-Nii, I'll start the car. We're going to the arcade!" Sora exclaimed and handed Roxas over to Ventus next to him.
"NOT today!" Cloud stopped Sora and pulled him away from the car that they just came back with, "Tomorrow. It's almost dinner time."
"But Daaaaaaad! I'm not hungry!" Sora whined; though Sora did pretty much eat all the cookies Aerith made by himself so it's understandable.
Ventus blinked and gave Roxas a long stare, who in turn just avoided eye contact.
"Hello Nii-San," Ventus greeted with a smile which caught Roxas's attention in a moment.
"You…really know it's me?" he questioned and Ven only nodded,
"Of course!"
"And…you're not freaked out?"
"In a world where mako exists, I don't find something like this…THAT surprising," Ven lightly giggled before looking over at Sora still pouting and trying to go out to the arcade and miss dinner, "And Sora…well, you know how open-minded Sora is. But you might have to actually TELL him or he'll never even assume."
Roxas only sighed and without thinking, he ruffled Ven's hair,
"It's a long story, do you feel like listening?"
"Of course, Nii-San!"
The two blondes looked over at Sora, still begging for the car that he nicknamed "Gummi." Of course the only reason why Sora got away with naming the red car was because Ventus didn't care, since technically it was half Sora's and half Ventus's. The only reason Cloud and Leon had it today was because Leon's(and Cloud's) black one was in the shop getting fixed.
The first thing Axel did upon learning Roxas wasn't home was call the blonde's cell phone only to get no answer.
"Hey!" Roxel came down the stairs and held up black cell phone,
"This kept ringing in your room," he said, "And it was frickin loud!"
"You have got to be kidding me…" Axel shook his head and took the phone, wondering how the hell Roxas didn't take his phone with him, "Roxel!"
"WHAT?" he exclaimed on his way up back up the stairs.
"Hey! Go ask Ventus and Sora if your Dad's staying with them!"
"I will!"
"Roxel!" Axel said more firmly and the boy rolled his eyes before coming all the way back down the first step of the stairs just to save his own voice.
"Whaaaat?" he lightly whined with a slightly slouched body and droopy arms.
"I'm serious, Roxel. I want to make sure Roxas is okay. And if he is staying with his parents, give this to Sora or Ventus…actually just give it Ventus. Give him the phone if Roxas is there. Also tell them to tell Roxas to call back soon," Axel explained, a bit slow, knowing Roxel wouldn't get all of that if he wasn't patient about this.
"Alright, I will, I promise," Roxel murmured and took Roxas's phone.
"I'm actually a bit shocked you're taking this so lightly," said Axel as Roxel started up the stairs again.
"It's not that I'm taking it lightly," he responded when he paused in his steps, "But come on, what's the worst thing that can happen? He's just seeing his own dad!"
Well the boy's got a point there…
"Even so, just in case, alright? You'll do what I say?" Axel asked in a serious tone. It was almost as if he was talking to a dog sometimes but Axel wasn't exactly sure how to talk to the teenage boy as that was Roxas's department.
"For the last time, yes! I promise I'll remember!"
"Good…good. Tell me what happens when I get back tomorrow night."
"Okay then," Roxel responded and finally went back to his room. Despite the fact that Roxel had a good point, Axel couldn't help but feel something was a bit wrong with this picture…
"Oh my gosh! Nii-Chan, LUCKY!" Sora exclaimed after the actual realization that it was Roxas sitting at their dinner table, in that body, and speaking to them.
"Sora, don't talk with your mouth full," Leon immediately started and Sora only frowned.
"This is NOT that lucky!" Roxas pointed at his body and Sora quickly swallowed his bite,
"Yes it is! So, if you never change back…then you lived all those years but you kinda got to start over so…you will technically outlive me and Ven-Nii! I think…"
"Don't think too hard now, Sora!" Ven lightly teased.
"That's just it, Sora, I don't want to stay like this forever. I got someone I love and I got Roxel…" Roxas tried to explain but talking to a teenager with some sense is almost the same as talking to a brick wall.
"That reminds me, since you're here: I don't like Roxel," Sora announced and half the table face-palmed at that.
"…Really?" Roxas asked in surprise and a raise brow.
"He's mean," Sora stated bluntly, "He thinks he's ALWAYS right!"
When Roxas notice Ven squirm a bit when Sora talked about Roxel, the blonde's heart sank. He was worse of a parent than he thought…
"By the way boys, if Roxel asks about where Roxas is tomorrow, tell him I'm in the hospital but I'm fine. And if he asks where Roxas is, tell him he's with Uncle Vincent," Cloud announced and the twins simultaneously raised a brow. As Ventus asked for more details about it, Roxas couldn't help but observe his family: A nice family dinner with the occasional, but harmless, bicker. How Roxas missed that…He missed the times when he and Naminé fought at the dinner table. He doesn't even remember when he had family dinner back at his own place. Axel sits himself in the living room and eats there while Roxel eats in his own room. This left Roxas by himself in the kitchen.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Roxas was almost pleased to go into his own room…only to remember that it wasn't really 'his' room anymore. Well he has moved out long ago but still…it was odd seeing your old bedroom become an art room…
"You used to sleep in here?" Ventus asked and Roxas jumped, not expecting anyone to be that quiet when approaching him.
"Y-Yeah…guess I gotta sleep somewhere else…" Roxas shrugged as he stared at the canvases, the pictures on the wall, and papers all over the floor, "Do you work here, Ventus?"
"You can sleep with me and Sora! And yeah I do!" the boy smiled, "So does Sora. He's a bit competitive about everything and wants to make sure I don't get too far in terms of drawing skills."
Roxas looked back to see all the stuff in colored pencils.
"Hmm…guess art runs in the family…"
"You should talk to Naminé, she loves art," Roxas suggested as Ventus took him to the room he shared with Sora, which was no other than Naminé's old room.
"Really? Wow I never knew that!"
The younger blonde took Roxas's hand as he fast-walked to the bedroom. He opened it to see Sora laying out a sleeping bag.
"You can have my bunk! It's the top," Sora pointed with a grin.
"N-No Sora, it's okay, really, I-"
"Nonsense!" Sora cut in and pulled Roxas in, "Do you know how many times I've fallen off the top? I don't mind being grounded for a while!"
Roxas raised a brow at that.
"Then why don't you sleep at the bottom bunk?"
"Because I like the top and he likes the bottom," Sora shrugged...So Roxas just simply accepted that answer. It still made some sense. But as all three got ready to hit the hay, Roxas couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth that he hasn't felt in a long time…
"Hey, Sora? Ventus?" he called for them after he reached the top bunk.
"Yeah?" the two responded in unison with Ventus popping his head out from the bottom bunk.
"…Thank you," Roxas whispered and he mentally noted to thank his parents and Naminé as well, "Truly, thank you…"
For scenes, it should be easy to distinguish Leon-Sora and Sora, but Leon-Sora will be called "Guardian-Sora" at times.
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