A/N: The title of this chapter is based on Young Robot by Dance Gavin Dance.
~ Chapter 4: Young Robot ~
Sora:
The pristine, white nurse's office and it's familiar sterile smell did nothing to bring Sora out of his mind. The paper laid out across the examination table crinkled under him, but he didn't hear it. The room was cold and Sora vaguely registered shivering again. With the danger and his recent silveret savior gone, Sora's nerves had settled and decided going numb was the best option.
The nurse ushered him here as soon as he opened the door, his face a deep-set sneer. Riku left, but it's just as well; Dr. Vexen made it clear that only the injured could come in. A cold, calculating man with big, green eyes and a permanent scowl wrinkling his pale skin, Sora's immediate impression was mad scientist, not nurse. Not that he had the mental presence to question it.
It was only when Dr. Vexen held up the tool that shined a light into Sora's eyes that he gained some awareness of the events around him. The brunet flinched, and Dr. Vexen tsk-d disapprovingly. "What happened?" he asked, but there was no sympathy in the tone; only the simple need-to-know.
"U-uhm, in the bathroom, t-they–"
"They? Who is they?"
Sora gulped, remembering his promise to Riku to protect his involvement. "Xehan, Isa, and another guy, I don't know his name–" Sora rambled.
"Braig." Sora looked to Dr. Vexen in surprise, but the man just sighed, his white hair barely lifting despite his enthusiastic pivot. He went to the medical cabinet, getting various ointments and supplies.
"Go on," he commanded, and Sora sprinted into this story, "Y-yeah, so they, uh, cornered me in the bathroom and started punching me, and then they went to give me swirlies but I fought back and got out."
"What about the kid you were with?"
Sora gulped. "He saw me on my way here, said I looked like hell so..."
Dr. Vexen nodded. Sora got the distinct impression that this wasn't the first time someone had been sent to him due to Xehanort. The cotton swab with alcohol on it stung his cheek, but he tried not to show it. Dr. Vexen's gaze on his nose made him nervous.
"Your nose – it's probably fractured," he said simply. Then he sighed, "You should at least wait a week before playing sports with the others again."
Sora nodded dumbly. He hadn't thought it was that bad. But in retaliation of Sora's initial dodge from the other day, Xehanort and Braig (finally, he learned the name) made sure their punches landed this time.
Vexen continued his assessments and patching Sora up, but the brunet was already mentally gone again. Though Sora knew it must be shock, he didn't have the strength to fight it. He couldn't stop reeling from the fact that he was right. It would be his luck that he'd be targeted – not just eventually, but the very first game. Of course, it was because he couldn't bear to let Namine get pushed around.
It had been awhile since he felt this way. The bullying stopped at the end of freshman year after Kairi lost it, didn't it? It was the second or third time the damage wasn't concealable, and Sora didn't have makeup to hide a black eye. Sora fought every step of the way to revealing this particular who, and how long, but, in the Kairi way, she went full mother-mode on him and she dragged it all out.
Sora felt bad for Tidus. He'd had a crush on her for ever, but Kairi completely forgot that in the wake of what he'd done to Sora. She had power, being the mayor's daughter. She never abused it, but this time, she forgot her image and stormed to Tidus's house.
Sora remembered she gripped his hand so tightly the whole way there too. The brunet had just wanted to melt into the floor. When Tidus answered the door, he visibly paled.
"Tidus, did you do this?" Kairi practically screamed the question into his face. Sora looked everywhere but him, but he caught the infuriated glance, and then the guilt that took over his features. The brunet looked at Kairi and felt his heart shatter to see her tears. Her eyes shone, and face had turned pink.
"I-I- look, it wasn't–" Tidus tried to create an explanation, but there was none. That, at least, gave Sora some satisfaction.
"It wasn't what?" Kairi hissed, "It isn't what it looks like? It's exactly what it looks like." Sora wanted to stop her. Her nails dug into Sora's hand painfully; he had never seen her so angry. He didn't want her to hurt over him. It was fine, Sora could handle it–
Dr. Vexen snapped his fingers in his face, and Sora flinched, the memory fading. "You can go, Sora," he said, though he looked unsure now. "Also, I will inform Xemnas of this incident. Xehanort and his friends won't bother you anymore."
Shakily, Sora stood from the examination table. The cold, jade-eyed man was already reorganizing his supplies. The brunet kept his disbelief of his statement to himself; if they left him alone, it was because of Riku, not because of whatever daddy did to reign in his delinquent.
Sora's bed called to him, and so he didn't stay to chat. "Thanks, Dr. Vexen," he said sincerely. He left when the doctor waved him away.
He made a beeline for his room, ignoring how his legs felt like jelly. Sora knew it must be nearing lights-out time in the cabins due to the oppressively dark sky overhead. It was just like that night with Kairi, even down to the clouds, threatening rain. Sora sighed, remembering the result of it all; his redhead best friend didn't talk to Tidus for a year. Even despite the fact they always had the same classes together due to the population in their small town.
But, no one messed with Sora again.
The brunet paused at the cabin door, bringing out his phone to use the face camera as a mirror; he couldn't bear to go back to the bathrooms for a real one just yet. He let out a shaky breath at what he saw. Even with the blood-clean-up and Dr. Vexen's bandages, he couldn't snapchat Kairi, at least not his face. And his new friends within, well, they'd know instantly. He didn't know what to expect, but he turned the knob, accepting his fate.
Shuffling sounds erupted as soon as the door creaked open. Axel hit his head on the ceiling as he vaulted up from the bed as soon as he saw Sora, like he had been waiting for him to show. Roxas similarly clambered out of his bunk in a fervor, anger emanating from him. The brunet barely got the door closed before both Roxas and the redhead were by his side like mother hens.
"Holy shit, Sora, where have you been?" Roxas asked frantically, eyeing him head to toe in concern, eyes settling on the wounds on his face. "When you didn't come back to the cafeteria we thought... Are you okay?" Despite Sora's typical cheer, the brunet had to bite back a bitter "What does it look like?".
Axel was rubbing his head, most likely from it's untimely meeting with the wood above his bunk, but looked on with piercing emerald eyes. "Who?" he demanded.
Roxas peered at him questioningly. "Who did what?" Sora was silent for a few moments, overwhelmed. Roxas's eyes lit up in blazing anger, much more menacing than the metaphorical light bulb. "You think someone did this to him?"
"Of course I do, look at him!" Axel's voice was obviously louder than he intended, but it still caused Sora's cheeks to burn in embarrassment. "He's got a black eye!" He wanted to push through to get to his bed, but was unable to put forth the effort. The emotional toll set in as his friends put two and two together so easily, the last nail in the coffin.
"Shit…" Roxas was lost for words.
Axel filled in for the silence. "Sora, tells us what happened."
"First, let him sit down, Ax," Roxas interjected, noticing how the brunet swayed in place. Axel gave a glance of agreement, not even smiling at the blond's rare use of his nickname.
They backed off. Sora slumped out of the tense stance he had been unknowingly holding, shuffling toward his bed. He sat like a folding deck of cards, kicking off his shoes haphazardly. Axel leaned against his bed-frame, refusing to sit, while Roxas sat on his bed opposite of the brunet to give him space. They waited patiently for Sora to begin, but he didn't make them wait long.
Sora slowly began his story, honestly this time. He omitted the panic attack, but told his friends how Riku stood up for him and, improvising the story slightly, mentioned that he helped him clean up a little before going to the nurse.
"Those fucks are SO lucky I didn't bring my knives," Axel growled, eyes almost black from dilation. Unnerved, Sora flinched at the thought.
Roxas glared in agreement, but replied begrudgingly, "You'd definitely go to juvie for that, or worse."
"Wouldn't be the first time…"
"Guys," Sora said, softly, but desperately, "We shouldn't do anything. Riku already punched that one guy. Dr. Vexen said they'd leave me alone, and anyway, I don't want you guys getting kicked out for something stupid." Sora gave a pointed glare to the redhead, who glared back equally.
"Sora, you're going to let them get away with it? It's not like that bastard Xemnas is going to do shit about this."
Sora shrugged. How could he explain that he couldn't fight back? He didn't completely understand it himself. He just wanted the whole thing to be over.
Roxas added, "They deserved to pay for hurting Nami, but this is way, way too far."
Axel nodded in agreement, encouraged by Roxas. "Fine, no knives, but you have to let us do something, Sora. Or they'll keep at it. Or find someone else to push around. Trust me, I know their type."
Of course, the last thing he wanted was someone else to get hurt. Exasperated, Sora snapped, "Look, I don't care what you do, Axel. Just don't physically hurt them, or you'll get kicked out, and then I bet they'll come after me again, or even Roxas." Perhaps the situation heightened Sora's social awareness, that he knew exactly which button to push to tame the wild redhead.
Roxas moodily laid back on the bed, arms on either side like their were lonely for a weapon. "Well, I have no ideas."
Axel looked thoughtfully away, silence filling the small cabin for a few moments. Sora shuffled his feet, unsure what to do with himself. He felt a little guilty for lashing out at Axel. He wished he could pretend the whole night never happened.
Well, almost everything. He remembered Riku, how he burst in, aqua eyes shining exactly how Kairi was that night she bitched out Tidus. Like Kairi, he didn't have to save Sora… but he did. There were no questions asked. And then, when Sora lost it, he stayed. God, if he could ever get past the embarrassment of freaking out like that it'd be a miracle. But the silveret saw something Sora hadn't shown anyone else – and he didn't run. He even helped. Despite it all, Sora's chest was warm remembering it; he didn't know what that meant.
Sora, tired and hurting and confused, began to undress carefully, ready to remove the grimy, abused clothes from the day. The other two stayed deep in thought; it was weird, that for Sora they weren't bickering. A few minutes passed, Sora settling into his bed, but then, a wide, mischievous grin replaced the solemnity on the redhead's face.
"I'll just have to prank them, then."
Sora practically swiveled around under his sheets, the austere mood totally shattered. "Prank?"
Roxas scowled, sitting up, "What are we, twelve?"
"No, no, no, Roxy," the redhead cheerily booped him on the nose, "Think about it. Sora forbids violence. What other way is there to tear down enemies than destroy their pride? Humiliation is a powerful tool, friends."
"Wow, you are disturbingly excited about this all the sudden," Roxas replied in disgust, rubbing his nose as if it were contaminated.
Sora nodded in agreement with the blond, sighing. "I just don't understand how that would work. Won't that just make them mad again?"
Axel shrugged, "Typically, no. If we show that their fear tactics don't work, their source of power is gone and they'll run away with their tail between their legs." He seemed so confident, but Sora was doubtful. Even so, his steeled jade gaze convinced the brunet that there would be no dissuading him.
"Okay, but what's your plan then?"
The redhead smiled brightly.
"Ugh, don't encourage him, Sora –" Roxas interjected, eyes rolling.
Axel chuckled, almost evilly before Roxas could finish, "You'll see. Let me do the work. I always get stuck with the icky jobs anyway," He winked. "For now, you should rest. Roxy, will you assist me?"
Roxas narrowed his eyes, "That depends."
The redhead slung his arm around the blond happily, "Great! We'll get started tomorrow."
"I didn't say yes!"
Sora groaned, but didn't argue. They were already so engrossed into their banter that Sora could be right next to them, and they wouldn't have known. The brunet got out his phone; Kairi had snapped him five times today.
He took a picture of Axel and Roxas pushing against each other with hands interlocked as they fought-negotiated the prank. Axel had his typical wide, mischievous grin, and Roxas was blushing, frowning, but his eyes always looked happy. It was just the impression Sora got. Sora added the caption to the snap: "That's Axel and Roxas. U'd like them." He also sent a Grey's Anatomy "you're my person" gif to express his gratitude that she was there for him, even though he wouldn't let her be.
He felt like he was lying, but she'd freak out if she knew. Looks like he'd be sending anything but selfies until the black eye was gone.
A/N: Heh, sorry this one is kinda short! Next chapter is a lot longer. Thanks for reading! Leave a review if you liked?
If you hadn't noticed, this fic is gonna have excessive music references and a buttload of 2000s/2010s emo nostalgia sorry not sorry.