Sora's P.O.V.

When we arrived at the hospital, the doctors told us Hopes injuries were as bad as we feared, if not worse. I didn't know what they were doing with him, but he'd been unconscious for a week now. Roxas had been with him the whole time. He refused to leave. I'd been with him the entire time too. My parents tried to make me come home, but I just couldn't leave Roxas here on his own, to deal with this. Eventually they gave in. Roxas and I had gotten pretty close over the week. I suppose that'll happen when you live in such close proximity with a person with noone else there to talk to most of the time. He actually opened up to me a lot that week, I guess helping him with Hope and being here for him really did mean something to him. Well, I know I'm right. He's thanked me constantly and told me how much he appreciated everything. Always makes me blush when he does. Yeah, as I was saying, he's opened up a lot.

He told me about his family. It's just him and Hope now. When he was young, his dad used to beat them. Bad. Apparently, Hope's no stranger to the hospital. Roxas had been hospitalised more then his fair share of times too. That scared me, but what was worse was what he told me about his mother. When his dad would grab some random object from around the house and start beating them until they bled, she'd sit in her armchair, glass of scotch in hand and watch with a blank emotionless face. I think I learned where Roxas got that habit of going into that emotionless trance whenever something bad happened. He said he did that a lot when he was being beaten. He was just numb.

What kind of parents could treat their kids like that?

Then one day, when Roxas was twelve, he'd had enough. His dad went after Hope. The beating was even worse then usual. Roxas snapped. He finally fought back against his dad, beating him off of Hope. The man said nothing. He looked at the blonde, and walked out. He never came home that night. The next day, in the hospital with Hope, his mother told them their father was dead. They later found out he had gone out and gotten pissed that night. He tried to drive home, but crashed his car into a wall and died. Shortly after that, their mother left. No explanation, nothing. They woke up one morning, roughly a week later, and she was gone.

Hope slipped further into depression, with both parents gone. Roxas couldn't keep up with the rent, and they became homeless. After some time on the streets, Roxas started to sell his body, to buy food and keep them in a small, horrible motel room. He did everything he could to take care of his little brother, but he hated himself for what he had to do. Eventually, he met Axel. He picked Roxas up for his friend, Demyx or something. Axel knew Roxas was gorgeous, so he suggested that he try out for a place as a dancer at The Hearts Burlesque, a burlesque club in the city that was owned by a friend of his. Roxas decided, for Hope, he'd audition. He figured the money might get them some decent food and a better place to stay. When he auditioned, they asked him to sing, and they were not disappointed. They were absolutely blown away. Instantly, Ansem made him the star of the show.

Roxas used his paycheck each week to rent the house I had visited briefly a week ago. They befriended a young woman named Lightning, who lived about a ten minute walk away. While Roxas was out working, she watched Hope, to try and avoid self harming incidents. His depression was very severe. Roxas used what little money he had left after rent, food and bills to pay for his anti-depression medication, but sometimes the younger blonde would still slip into depressions murky depths.

I wanted to do whatever I could to help Roxas. I know, I've only known him for a week, but I care about him. A lot. Way more then I'd expected…. Yeah, that little crush I'd had on him in the burlesque club has definitely not gone away. If anything it's gotten worse. But I'm here to be a friend to him. That's what he needs now. I'm still surprised how much he's opened up to me. He seems to trust me more then most other people, which I'm kinda happy about. I like that he trusts me.

He now trusts me enough to leave me alone with Hope while he took a quick shower in the en-suit bathroom in this cramped little hospital room. That's where I find myself now actually. It gets pretty boring when he leaves. Not exactly much to do in a little hospital room.

"uhhh…"

What the fuck was that? Am I hearing thigs?

"Rox…..?"

Shit! It's Hope! He's awake and Roxas is still in the shower! Say something to him you moron, he's barely conscious and thinks you're his brother!

"Umm… Sorry Hope, Roxas is in the shower… I'm Sora. A friend of Roxas. How're you feeling? Are you in pain? Want me to get him? Do you want a doctor? Pain medication? Anything?"

"Sora, calm down, please. I'm ok, just drowsy and stuff…. Is Roxas ok? He hates it when I do this kinda thing….."

He looks so upset…. Well, Roxas said they were very close, and he obviously knows he really scared his brother…

"Well….. He wasn't good when we found you. Something held him up at work, and I got my brother to drive us to your place…. That's when we found you…. He was in really bad shape when we came in…. He's still worried sick. He barely eats since we got here."

"Oh, Roxas doesn't eat much anyway. I think he might have an eating disorder, but he just tells me not to worry, that he's just not hungry. I know he lies though…."

I got Hope some water for his throat, and something to eat. We talked for another half hour or so. He's a really good kid. Now it wasn't just Roxas I wanted to help. I already felt like this kid was my own little brother. He didn't deserve to be in such a bad situation either. That's when Roxas came out of the little bathroom. Hope's eyes lit up when he saw him.

"ROXY!"

He sounded genuinely happy, seeing his elder, by roughly fifteen months. Roxas was shocked. He looked overjoyed to see his brother was ok.

"HOPE! You're awake! Are you ok? Don't EVER do that again! You scared the fucking shit out of me! You little bastard! Don't you ever do something that stupid ever again!"

Despite his insults and his yelling, Roxas was hugging his brother close, and both were crying. One with sheer relief, the other just overcome by how much his big brother loved him.

I took this as my cue to step outside and give them a minute. As soon as I stepped outside the room, I had an idea. I pulled out my cell phone and dialled my dads number on the spot.

Please say yes, please, please, please, please, please!

As soon as dad picked up I launched into my request. I knew I was asking for a lot, but I had to try. I just hoped my parents would understand. I asked dad to put me on loudspeaker so mom could hear too. I just hoped I could convince them…

One Hour Later

When I returned to the room, Roxas was sitting on the edge of hope's bed, a soft, exhausted smile on his face. He looked away from his snoozing sibling to smile at me. He was about to start another one of his thank you talks, but cut him off.

"I want you and Hope to move in with me. We've got enough space and I've called my parents and talked to them about it, you've already met them when they were here, they like you, and they have no problem with it, and if you're not paying rent you could afford to send Hope to a therapist once a week to try and make him better…."

I hadn't realised how nervous I was until half way through that little speech when my hands got all sweaty and my voice started to shake. Roxas looked shocked. He just sat there for a minute, staring at me, mouth open slightly.

"Sora…. Wow….. I couldn't take you up on that…. I mean, thank you so, so much! But I couldn't! We couldn't impose on your family like that. I couldn't just move into their house, and expect them to feed us and house us and all that. Besides, what about Hope? He can't be left alone for long… I couldn't ask you or anyone in your family to just stay home with him whenever I go out to work!"

"Actually Rox, I've thought about that. My mother is a house wife, so she's home most days. Plus, I've told you before, my house isn't far from your current one. Lightning is still only ten minutes away. We only live a little farther up that road. And I've told them the situation, they've met you, they like you, and they want to help you in any way they can. And I think this is in Hope's best interest. If he can see a therapist, maybe he'll get better."

He has to say yes now. It's in his brothers best interest for gods sake!

"Sora…. I dunno…. It's a lot to ask of your family…. I mean…."

"Roxas, shut up and say yes. They know the situation, they know what they're getting into by extending this offer and they still want to do it. If you do it though, you'll have to share my room and Hope can share with my brother Dylan."

"But…. But…. You and your family are insane. You people are way, way too nice….."

He was trying not to laugh, he was blushing and smiling, his eyes were bright. I knew I had him.

"Fine Sora. I'll try it. But if it's causing ye any problems then we're going."

He said yes…. He said yes! I was so happy! I couldn't believe I'd actually convinced him! Before I knew it I was hugging him. We were both crying, for what felt like the hundredth time that week. We were just so happy. I was overjoyed that he was letting me in, letting me this close to him and I knew he was happy that he finally had someone to rely on. Someone he could trust. Someone who genuinely cared about him.

Shit…. When did I start falling in love with him…..?