Finally updated…
Life's so hectic right now! And writing this fanfic only helps me agree with myself that being an adult sucks! If only kids could be as perfect as the twins…
"Helloooooo?" Sora picked up his phone before it finished ringing. He would've gotten to it sooner if Roxas didn't have him in a headlock and wouldn't let go until Sora apologized to Ventus for messing up the boy's drawing. But even now, he's trying to control his laughter from what happened.
"Hey dobe, when's my Dad going to be back?" Roxel asked between eating his bar of sea salt ice cream. Sora's face dropped to a frown upon realizing who it was,
"I don't know okay?"
"Are you sure?"
"No! I mean yes! I don't know!"
"Sheesh, grumpy much today, Sora? Alright, well can you ask and tell me?"
"Fine, whatever." Without a goodbye, Sora hung up and called out to Roxas who was hovering over Ventus and watching the boy draw, in attempt to fix the mess Sora made.
"Tell him I don't know," Roxas replied and Sora just shrugged, texting the answer right back to Roxel. The three are now in the art room and trying to take in the art atmosphere but it was hard with both Sora and Roxas being a bit more at roughhousing in this room.
"Nii-Chan…?"
"Hmm?" Roxas responded to Ven's call.
"…What if you can't change back?"
"…"
Sora gave Ven a look from where he stood, trying to remind him that they were trying to brighten up Roxas's day and not the other way around.
"Because if you can't…will you stay with us? Forever?" Ven asked, looking over his shoulder and up at Roxas who looked confused. He remained quiet for a little bit but answered with a small smile.
"Not forever, Silly. You and Sora will one day grow up and find someone special to spend your life with instead of me. But yes…if I can't change back, I'll stay with you guys for as long as possible."
Roxas ruffled Ven's hair in comfort and it seemed to have given Ven, as well as Sora, a reassurance kind of joy. Both boys couldn't help but smile at the thought of that.
Axel stared at the monster before him…how did Roxas ever find time to do all this?
"Roxel!" he shouted for the boy for the umpteenth time. Finally, said-boy came down what his usual "Whaaaat?" whiny-voice.
"…Wash the dishes," Axel pointed at the overflowing pile in the sink and Roxel only gave him an appalled look.
"WHAT? That's gonna take me forever!"
"Do it. At least until your dad gets back."
"But who knows when he'll get back! And why can't you do it?"
Axel gave him a firm look and folded his arms.
"Who fed you dinner today?"
"…You…" he murmured, "Although those that didn't eat it are the lucky ones..."
"Of come on! My meal isn't THAT bad!" Axel retorted, "Besides, I have to do the other annoying chore around the house this weekend!"
"Why don't you just do it now?" Roxel asked, knowing Axel just lounges around after dinner anyway.
"…Because I need to look up on how to use the washing machine."
Roxel paused but nodded, knowing he didn't know any more on how to use that thing than Axel does. But still…he doesn't want to do the dishes…
"Nii-Chan, can you explain this to me?" Ven asked, scooting over to Roxas who was reading the twins' manga while said-twins were doing homework. So Roxas placed down the manga and looked at Ven's math homework.
"Okay…alright, here, see this?" Roxas picked up the spare paper and pencil and got to work.
"I'm surprised you even remember any of this stuff! Dad and Otosan are no help at all!" said Sora before scooting over as well, "And when you're done with Ven can you help me on mine too?"
"Haha, okay, I'll try. Just wait. And I always help Roxel on his so I basically re-learned everything while he learned," Roxas explained; but upon that reminder, Roxas now worried a bit about Roxel's grades at the moment.
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"Shit…"
"What's up?" Vanitas asked Roxel when he heard the boy curse the moment the two met up while walking in the school's hallways,
"I totally forgot to do ALL of my homework!"
Vanitas only gave him a look,
"How in the world is that even possible?"
"Because nobody nagged me to do it!" Roxel defended, not that it was a good excuse.
"Right…you're in high school and you still need someone to nag you to do it?"
"Shut up, Van."
Van only rolled his eyes but the conversation dropped when they had to part for different first period classes. The black-haired boy made his way through the day until lunch when he went to bother Ventus.
"My sweet VenVen!"
"Gah! Go away!"
"You're so cold to me, Venny!"
"And you're annoying!"
"So cold…"
"You're not going to make me pity you! Go away!"
Sora only sighed at their bickering as he ate. Their daily battle can get tiresome sometimes even if Sora's never truly in it. That's when Sora realized that Roxas may know how to help them all out.
"Ugh, you're actually friends with Vanitas?" Roxas almost gagged at the reminder that this boy literally molested Ventus on more than one occasion.
"He's not a bad guy…just stupid," Sora lightly laughed at his summary. Ventus was at a club today after school and so it was just Sora and Roxas hanging out today at an ice cream parlor(Roxas in his disguise outfit again).
"That so huh?"
"Yeah…but he really likes Ventus; except Ven doesn't give the guy the time of day."
"Good!"
"Nii-Chan!"
Roxas only shrugged, not wanting to take back what he said.
"Anyone sexually molesting someone else isn't someone I deem as good if you ask me," said Roxas as he scooped up a spoonful of ice cream for himself.
"Even as a joke and Ventus only partially minds?"
"If Ventus doesn't approve, then I still stand by what I say. If Ventus wants that guy to stop, then he has to stop. Okay, supposedly Ven doesn't mind; what if Vanitas does something that does make Ven very uncomfortable? And if Ven says no, who can say that Vanitas will stop?"
"Oh…I guess I never thought of it that way…"
"The two need to have a mutual understanding of each other and a sense of trust before I say its 'okay' for Vanitas to be touching Ven inappropriately," Roxas stated as he took a spoonful of his scooped sea salt ice cream.
"…Nii-Chan?"
"Hmm?"
Sora poked the cherry of his sundae for a moment before speaking.
"How did you and Axel meet?"
"Huh?" Roxas lightly fidgeted when he was about to get another spoonful of ice cream.
"How did you and Axel meet? Why do you like him? He's funny I admit but totally irresponsible and I can't believe you settled for someone like him."
"…" The blonde's eyes drifted away from Sora's and down at his treat but even that didn't cheer him up.
"Nii-Chan?"
"I met him in high school when I was getting picked on. He saved me and…I guess it just started from there," Roxas lightly smiled at the memory. The first time he really saw those green eyes up close and how mesmerizing they were, "And I really like him…because he was the first who saw me as somebody, instead of a nobody."
"…What about now?" Sora asked, not realizing what exactly he just asked.
"…I don't know anymore," Roxas quietly responded as his smile faded…
"I'm-I'm sorry, Nii-Chan! I didn't mean to-"
"I know," Roxas cut in and tried to put on a smile for the other, "It's alright…"
Although the answer only made Sora feel and look more guilty.
"Is there anyone you really like, Sora?"
The boy looked up in surprise.
"M-Me? Well…no…I don't think so anyway," Sora shrugged and Roxas's face softened.
"That so? Well I hope you save yourself for when you do find someone special…do you know who were named after, Sora?"
"Um…wasn't it this boy that was friends with the family?"
"That's right. You know, Sora, I'll let you in on a secret."
Sora leaned in, as the curiosity sparked within him.
"Don't tell anyone. This is just between you and me, understand?" Roxas leaned in as well and spoke in a whisper. Sora nodded excitedly,
"I promise! I won't tell!"
"Good," Roxas nodded once offered his pinky that made Sora quickly take it as they hooked and silently made a pinky promise, "Okay then…I was in love with the Sora you were named after."
Sora lightly gaped and tried his best not to exclaim in surprise.
"He was my best friend. The difference between him and Axel is that Sora stuck by me like glue. Well compared to Axel anyway," Roxas lightly chuckled at that thought, "He was such a parent sometimes. I admit…him treating me like a child was a bit annoying but at the same time…I liked being looked after," he confessed.
"Well that's understandable! I mean…you said you were always picked on right?"
"Yeah," Roxas only lightly shrugged but a smile slowly formed as he thought back, "He…was always there. He looked after me, protected me…he was my shoulder to lean and cry on. He always wanted the best for me."
"Oh wow…where is he now?"
"That's the thing, Sora…no one knows," that smile fell and Roxas's heart tugged at the thought, "He just…disappeared. No word, no warning, and no goodbye…"
"Oh…I'm so sorry, Nii-Chan! You must miss him a lot!"
"You have no idea…" Roxas lightly whispered, "I'd give anything to see him again…"
"And outside of my dreams…"
"Maybe you will! It's possible!"
"Heh…it's been years, Sora. He…might not even remember me. Besides, I don't want him to see me like this. Although…" Roxas paused in thought. THAT-Sora was who turned him into this form in the first place! Right? Maybe…maybe he was meant to meet him again? And suddenly, the blonde's face flushed red at the thought.
"Nii-Chan?"
"H-Huh?" he stuttered and tried to calm himself.
"Do you think maybe…you still have some feelings for him?"
"…I…I don't…know…"
It was impossible! Why would anyone still have feelings for a very old flame from almost 20 years ago, that loves another no less, and actually…have that hope and yearning to see him again?
"Oh god, I think I'm insane…"
Yeah, having even a simple crush on someone you're seeing in your dreams wasn't the greatest realization one could have.
Axel wanted to say "F-My life," with the actual word, so many times today. Things just could not get worse, it just can't. The red-head knew NOTHING on how to take care of the house with Roxas gone and now he's out shopping for some cleaning materials due to the mess Roxel made, trying to using the dish washer instead of hand-washing. Of course, the only reason Roxel didn't get in too much trouble was because Axel had no idea how to use that thing any more than Roxel and would've probably made a mess too…
The red-head was on his way back, walking just because he wanted to take his time getting back to the miserable excuse he called a home. He would've started to swear out loud some more, well technically mumble them under his breath, but he caught a flash of red on the road. He personally thought those scenes on TV and movies when time seemed to have frozen and the characters can see exactly who's in a fast-driven car as they passed by. But he doubted them no longer when Axel saw no other than the familiar Vincent Valentine speed by…with no other occupants in the car.
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"Roxas…Roxas…"
He was afraid to open his eyes…
"Roxas, are you okay?"
But still…
The blonde slowly fluttered is eyes opened but when he did he felt his body heat go up.
"You alright?" Guardian-Sora asked and helped Roxas into a sitting position and the two sat side by side once more beside a lake in a dark forest lit by countless fireflies.
"Y-Yeah…"
"You sure? You look almost sick and I'm pretty sure you were alright a few days ago when I saw you last."
"Actually um…Sora I need to ask…"
If Roxas was looking at the brunette, he would notice Sora's worried expression.
"Well…ask away."
"…What are you?" Roxas asked as he looked up with almost pleading eyes, "Are you human? An angel? What are you? Why did you leave all those years ago? Why are you seeing me now and why can I only talk and see you at this age? How come you haven't aged at all? And how do I know all these dreams I have with are even…real?"
Roxas looked so discouraged to Sora that guilt easily overcame him, especially when he saw those tears welling up in those eyes.
"Forgive me, Roxas…"
Sora shifted a bit in his position and look before him at the beautiful sight with all the fireflies being reflected off the clear water.
"To be honest, I don't know what I am either. But I can't age, Roxas. I'll never look any older than I do now. And I didn't mean to leave without saying goodbye, I really didn't. But…something happened and…I had to leave."
"…"
"However, I can assure you, Roxas that me visiting you in your dream is as well as if we met in person. I swear it. I care about you. You're family to me and I'll always be there for you no matter what."
"…Did you ever return to the person you were in love with?" Roxas asked as he pulled up his knees and hugged it.
"…I did."
"I see…how is then between you guys?"
He could feel it…the sense of life from Sora beside him…the boy's happiness.
"Great! We…We worked it out."
"Oh…I thought so…" Roxas buried his head even deep as he felt himself even more. That's when Sora felt it…he was physically getting pulled from Roxas.
"Roxas!" a hand reached out but it failed to reach Roxas. Along with Sora, the rest of the scenery began to disappear only to be replaced by darkness surrounding the young blonde.
"Roxas! Roxas what's going on? Why are you…why are you pushing me away? Roxas! ROXAS! Answer me! Roxaaaas!"
Leon gasped for air when he found himself awake and sitting on his bed with sweat. The sudden movement stirred Cloud beside him who awoke quite swiftly.
"Leon? Leon, what's wrong?" he asked with concern as he sat up and touched the other.
"Roxas…"
"What's wrong with him? Is he alright?"
"I…I'm not sure…I think I'm upset him somehow but…I don't know what I did that could've," Leon ran a hand through his hair as he thought, trying to figure out what had upset Roxas so bad, "He…relied and was attached to my young self more than I thought he was though."
"…I'm not surprised. You really brought him out of the dumps and pushed him in the right direction," said Cloud with a comforting tone, "Let's get some sleep. We can see if Ventus and Sora know anything."
Leon nodded as the two lied back down together.
"I just worry…" the lion-man whispered.
"I know…me too…but we'll get through."
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Thank you!