Fire & Moonlight, a Kingdom Hearts fanwork: Drabble challenge by Wishing-Fire, written by Raberba girl

8. Family

Summary: The four of them, together. Anything else is unacceptable.

A/N: This AU is...really hard to explain. DX Inspired by HetaOni, if that helps.

o.o.o

Axel opened his eyes, staring hazily up at the ceiling before he remembered. Then he shot out of bed, staring around wildly.

He was in a house. His house. Which meant...

"No, no, no, no, no," he whispered, struggling to his feet and staggering to the door. No, no, the skies were clear and sunny, he could hear freaking birdsong, every single one of his possessions lay unscathed where he had left them before-

Axel stopped short at the threshold of the living room. It was occupied. "What...are you...doing here?" he whispered.

"Axel!"

"You're up!"

Roxas and Xion ran to him, all smiles. Roxas was in the goth outfit from six games ago, though his beaming expression was like it had been at the very beginning, when he was still calling himself 'Sora.' Yet Xion was still obviously a girl...but her hair was short, like in the earlier games where she'd been a boy. Saïx appeared to be sulking on the other side of the room, still in the battered police officer uniform from the last game, the one Axel thought would be the end.

"What are you all DOING here?" he demanded again. None of them should be here, none of them. He glanced at the TV to make sure - yes, there it was, the news report about the meteor, two days before the apocalypse. Which meant that Saïx hadn't arrested him yet, Roxas hadn't tried to steal his truck, and Xion should still be preaching about the Second Coming. None of them should even know his name yet, much less look so glad to see him. "How the freak are you here?!"

"Saïx used the Glitch," Roxas explained breathlessly. "The last me died - sorry Axel, I know I- he- we- whatever; I know I promised, but I couldn't help it, I had to die, but he/me/whatever gave me all his memories, all the ones he had of all the games, and...and, well, Xion found me, and she likes being a girl better, you know; and- gah, there's so much to tell you!"

"You LIED to us!" Xion cried indignantly. She grabbed Axel by the front of his shirt and shook him. He was still in a state of shock and could not defend himself. "You - lied - to - us! You told us we'd all get out safely!"

Axel managed to push her away. "I said you'd get out safely. I never said anything about me."

Roxas hit him.

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"We promised we'd escape TOGETHER," the boy growled. "You can't be such a jerk through sixty-nine freaking games and then go all sacrificial hero on us for the last eight rounds! That's not how it works!"

Unable to face the kids anymore, Axel raised his eyes to Saïx. "Why'd you use the Glitch?" he demanded. "That was yours. You wasted it. You were supposed to get Roxas and Xion to safety, not fling us all back in time just so we can get ripped to pieces YET AGAIN! Do you really hate them that much? Did you really want to spite me that much? You didn't even get yourself out!"

Saïx stood up and crossed the room, coming to a halt when he stood right in front of Axel. Then he opened his mouth and spoke the longest consecutive string of words Axel had ever heard him say throughout all seventy-seven games. "They're right. We're winning this together, all four of us. I don't care what Roxas has done or where Xion came from or how annoying they both are. I don't care that you've ruined my life. What I do care about is the three of you. I can't go back. I don't want to go back anymore. I hate you all and I love you all and we are family now. The Glitch was a small price to pay." He raised his hand, displaying the number 7 that had been tattooed there, so many games ago that Axel couldn't even remember. Then he pointed to the 8 on Axel's hand. "This is the seventy-eighth game. This is the one we will win, together."

Axel stared at him for a long time. Then Roxas took one of his hands, and Xion took the other, and when they grasped Saïx's hands, Axel saw the three of them smiling together for the first time ever. He could not help smiling back. "Agreed."

o.o.o

Author's Notes: Casual backstory ftw. ^^;

Complete: 8/101. Next: "Invasion"

Fire & Moonlight, a Kingdom Hearts fanwork: Drabble challenge by Wishing-Fire, written by Raberba girl

8. Family [challenge version]

Summary: The four of them, together. Anything else is unacceptable.

A/N: This AU is...really hard to explain. Inspired by HetaOni and War of the Worlds, if that helps.

o.o.o

Axel stared hazily up at the ceiling. Then he remembered. He shot out of bed, looking around wildly.

This was his own house. Which meant... "No, no, no, no, no," he whispered, staggering to the door.

Clear, sunny skies, freaking birdsong outside the windows, his possessions lying unscathed where he had left them-

Axel halted in the entrance to the living room. "What...are you...doing here?" he whispered.

"Axel!"

"You're awake!"

The kids ran to him. Roxas was in the goth outfit from six games ago, though his beaming expression was like it had been at the very beginning, when he was still calling himself 'Sora.' Xion was obviously a girl, but her hair was short, like in the earlier games where she'd been a boy. Across the room, Saïx was still wearing the last game's battered uniform.

None of them should be here. Axel glanced at the TV - there it was, the news report about the meteor, two days before the apocalypse. Which meant that Saïx hadn't arrested him yet, Roxas hadn't tried to steal his truck, and Xion should still be preaching the Second Coming. None of them should even know him yet, much less look so glad to see him. "How the freak are you here?!"

"Saïx used the Glitch," Roxas explained. "The last me died after you did - sorry, Axel, I know I- he- whatever; I know he promised, but I couldn't help it, I had to die, but he/me/whatever gave me all his memories from the other games, and- gah, there's so much to tell you!"

"You LIED to us!" Xion cried. She grabbed Axel and shook him. "You told us we'd all - get - out - safe!"

Axel pushed her away. "I said you'd get out safely. I never said anything about me."

Roxas hit him.

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"We promised we'd escape TOGETHER," the boy growled. "You can't be a selfish jerk through sixty-nine freaking games and then go all sacrificial hero on us for the last eight rounds! That's not how it works!"

Unable to face them anymore, Axel turned to Saïx. "Why'd you use the Glitch?" he demanded. "That was yours. You wasted it. You were supposed to get Roxas and Xion to safety, not fling us all back in time just so we can get ripped to pieces YET AGAIN! Do you really hate them that much? Did you really want to spite me that much? You didn't even get yourself out!"

Saïx stood and crossed the room, coming straight up to Axel. Then he spoke the longest consecutive string of words Axel had heard him say in any of the previous games.

"The four of us are winning this together. I don't care what Roxas has done or where Xion came from or how annoying they both are. I don't care that you've ruined my life. What I do care about is the three of you. I can't go back. I don't want to go back anymore. I hate you all and I love you all and we are family now. The Glitch was a small price to pay." He raised his hand, where the number VII tattoo that had disappeared nine games ago was now visible again. He pointed to Axel's VIII. "This is the seventy-eighth game. This is the one we will win."

Axel stared at him. Then Roxas and Xion grasped his and Saïx's hands, and Axel saw the three of them smiling together for the first time ever. He found himself smiling back. "Agreed."

o.o.o

Author's Notes: Casual backstory ftw.

Complete: 8/101. Next: "Invasion"