Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters
Chapter: 10 "261 Days and a Half Left"
Author's Notes: Okay hey guys! Thank you to all those that read, reviewed, faved, or followed! I read your guys' words and I was really happy! Thank you so much for understanding my perspective, it makes me happy that I am able to keep you guys entertained through this story! I'm sorry for the lack of writing lately. I just recently finished spring break and I relaxed the entire time (it was amazing). SC has passed its one year anniversary so I may start working on that for a bit but CD does hold a special place in my heart.
Feeling nervous under his fathers' intense gazes, Roxas shifted awkwardly as he respectfully rose to a sitting position with his back ramrod straight. He wasn't even looking them in the eyes yet he could still feel the intensity and power behind both of his father's cobalt eyes. They looked absolutely and positively unnerving and Roxas wasn't surprised, Leon and Cloud looked extremely livid that day he fought with Axel nearly a week ago. He could still remember the powerful glare in their eyes when they witnessed his confrontation with the older man. Rubbing the back of his head just as Sora would do, Roxas glanced nervously at Leon. "There's not much to say." A muscle twitched on the brunet's face and Roxas could practically feel the irritation and annoyance radiating off his father, it was honestly a little intimidating.
"'There's not much to say?'" Leon repeated after his son, shifting his weight over to his other foot as he stared down at his youngest child. "Interesting." Leon said simply. "Very interesting indeed." Although his words and tone suggested that he was calm, Roxas knew better to believe Leon's façade. His father had been a SeeD mercenary, he knew how to lie and he knew how to effectively do so. Military warriors were trained to be passive, so not leak valuable inside information should they be taken hostage by the other side. Roxas' hand subconsciously brushed against his left wrist and Cloud watched as his son's fingers flexed around his checkered wristband. Cloud, who had been silent this entire time, sent a warning look over at his husband, his blond brows turned downwards in displeasure. Like Leon, he was also concerned about this unknown relationship between Roxas and Reno's son, but there was no point in punishing the boy for something he didn't understand. That would only be counterproductive and cause unneeded stress between them.
"What your father is trying to say," Cloud cut in, turning his eyes towards Roxas who slowly met his gaze, "Is that we need to know who this guy is. Roxas, do you understand how alarming it is to see our son, someone who we've raised since he was a young boy, fighting someone that he has nothing to say about? How worrying it is for us as your parents to see you with blood on your fists? Who is this man and what is he to you? A friend? An enemy?" Cloud then crossed his arms, his brilliant blue eyes flashing a bit. "Or is he something more?"
Almost as soon as his father stopped started speaking, Roxas mentally conjured up a picture of the man Cloud and Leon were talking about. Axel Gongaga - he was a tall individual, one that easily towered over him, and had a slender body. He had a well-defined widow's peak, eyes that exhibited an emerald color, and a head of flaming spikes. They were wild and out of control but they worked on him due to his smooth complexion and pointed chin. His eyebrows were crimson, much like his hair, but they were small compared to the average person's. The blond tilted his face slightly as he thought back to the mysterious purple reverse-teardrop on Axel's face, wondering why Axel possessed such bizarre tattoos. Did they symbolize something? Not wanting to spend too much time thinking about the older man, the blond rubbed the back of his head again. "I don't know what he is to me but he's well," Falling silent, Roxas extended his wrist for his fathers to see, "Just look."
Cloud took his son's outstretched arm and gently began to peel back the black and white checkered wristband. The very moment that it was removed, Cloud and Leon's looked immediately awestruck. 00:00:00 it read, but that could only mean…? Although he knew what the numbers meant, Cloud needed more evidence. Furrowing his brows, he closed his fingers over Roxas' wrist. "Ex-1st Class SOLDIER, Cloud Strife, identification: A-16." He swiftly commanded, tapping into the Shinra technology in his son's timer.
"Recognized: Cloud Strife, A-16." A female computer generated voice replied back, pausing slightly in between his first and last name. Roxas' eyes grew in surprise, what was going on here? Was his dad able to control the timer or something? Leon remained silent as he waited, waiting for Cloud to voice the concerns he knew they both had.
"Show me the soul mate of Roxas Strife-Leonhart."
"The soul mate belonging to Roxas Strife-Leonhart is Axel Gongaga." The AI obediently responded back.
"Show me him; show me the boy's soul mate." Just like that time in the Upper Sector, the AI in Roxas' timer produced a holographic image of Axel. And just like that, Roxas' timer confirmed what they had witnessed at President Shinra's gathering. "I demand intel on the man known as Axel Gongaga." With his brows turned downward in displeasure, Cloud watched as the timer's mechanics lit up the room even more. A full-body image of Axel stood proud and tall as a list of the man's information began scrolling down for them all to see. "Axel Gongaga, son of Reno and Elena Gongaga, and older brother to Kairi Gongaga. 23 years of age, date of birth: August 8, blood type: AB+, location: Middle Sector, attending: Radiant Garden University, major of choice: Fire Science, religion: the Goddess Etro, status: alive."
Not wanting to hear anymore, Roxas quickly pulled away from his blond father and yanked his wristband back into place, cradling his left wrist tightly against his chest. When two pairs of blue eyes turned towards him, Roxas flinched slightly. "I don't want to hear anymore." Leon remained silent as he watched his husband leave Roxas' side to join him by the boy's bed. As if knowing that his fathers were displeased, the blond nervously glanced away. "I won't accept it." Roxas said sternly. "Axel is not my soul mate."
"And what makes you say that?" Leon asked.
"Because!" Roxas shouted, startling his fathers as he whirled around to look at them fiercely. His fists clenched as his bangs bobbed up down due to his quick movements. "We have nothing in common! Absolutely nothing at all! Zero! Nothing!" Cloud blinked and leaned his head downwards a little, looking at Roxas incredulously. Did Roxas really just that? He could not believe his son was being so childish and ignorant. "I don't want to have anything to do with him! I'll be damned if I ever love someone like him! I am and will never be into guys!"
"Roxas, watch your language!" Leon harshly shouted, immediately silencing the boy. The high school student looked shocked, his father had never yelled at him like that before. As if realizing his mistake, Leon sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. 'I won't get anywhere if I berate him for something he doesn't understand.' Seeing Roxas' alarmed eyes, Leon placed a hand on his blond head and ruffled the soft locks gently. How many times had he told himself that he would do everything in his power to never to see those eyes again? It reminded him so much of the time when he and Cloud had found the boys when they were still very young. They had such distrusting and horrified blue eyes back then, no doubt brought on by being left behind after the war. It was absolutely heartbreaking; no child should ever have those eyes. "Roxas, we're just concerned. Try to understand," he began, opting for another approached, "Your father and I, we've never seen you openly strike someone before. I thought we taught better than to do that."
"I'm sorry." Roxas said quickly, his cheeks reddening a little. He never liked disappointing his fathers. Pulling his legs up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them, he rested his chin on his knees. He felt very, very small, and he didn't like it one bit. "I just don't know what to do. It's all too weird. Dad, I don't like guys like that." Afraid that he may end up alone forever, the blond involuntarily began raking his fingers against his skin, a nervous habit of his that he developed when he was a child. "But I can't do anything about it; my future's already been set in stone. Axel's my soul mate and I can't do shit about it." Ignoring his son's colorful choice of words, Leon shared a look with Cloud before bringing his hand down and placing it on Roxas' shoulder.
"While it may be true that this man is your soul mate, you can always change the future. You are the sole decision-maker in this situation, Roxas. You are the one who ultimately has a say in what you choose to do. You can either accept the fate you've been given and seek partnership with Axel or you can defy it completely and make your own future."
"How?" Roxas asked, his voice still small.
Leon pulled away to nod his head over at Cloud, signaling for the blond to act. Sighing deeply to himself, Cloud nodded back and held out his hand. The man's deep mako blue eyes flashed a little but Roxas was too distracted to notice. Leon however did and his heart suddenly began to ache for his husband. Crossing his arms over his chest, Leon let out a mental sigh; there was nothing he could do about it now. Roxas hesitantly reached out his left wrist, answering his father's unasked question. Gently, Cloud peeled back the wristband but this time, he caressed the skin with his thumb. "Machina," Cloud began, addressing the AI by its name this time, "Show me the soul mate of Squall Leonhart." At his father's question, Roxas' eyes widened.
"The soul mate belonging to Squall Leonhart is Rinoa Heartilly." The lion's blue eyes fluttered closed as he took a step back from his family, needing a few moments for himself. Rinoa had been a member of the Forest Owls, a group of freedom fighters fighting for liberation from Zanarkand during the times of war. Although Radiant Garden was indeed its own nation, Zanarkand wanted to tyrannize its citizens, threatening to go to war if they did not adhere to their wishes. Naturally, that became the cause of the war. Radiant Garden fought for their independence and the right to live freely, thereby being the sole reason for the Forest Owls to form. From what Leon could remember, she had always been compassionate and friendly but there were times when she was extremely stubborn and naïve. Looking towards Leon, Roxas frowned. He had never seen his father so distraught!
'Wait, Dad's soul mate isn't Dad?' Roxas found himself questioning mentally. Judging from his father's down-casted eyes and tense shoulders, he deduced that this Rinoa meant an awful lot to him. 'If she's his soul mate, why isn't Dad with her now? Aren't soul mates supposed to be your perfect match in life?' This whole time, he thought that his fathers were each other's soul mates; they always seemed so perfect for one another! Although they argued and bickered, Roxas knew how much they loved one another. He had seen the tools Leon would leave laying around the house as if they had been dropped from Valhalla themselves, no doubt to keep Cloud entertained since everyone knew Cloud loved to work on his motocycle, Fenrir. And likewise, Cloud was always there for , these two weren't soul mates after all? "Why aren't you with her, Dad?" Roxas asked, looking towards Leon who was now facing them stoically.
Cloud inwardly flinched at his son's question, instantly reminded of the countless times he spent asking himself the very same thing back when he and Leon were still in the military. While timers like the ones today didn't exist back then, Cloud didn't need one to know how special Rinoa was to Leon. He wasn't blind, hell, anyone and everyone could see how deeply in love they were with one another. The only times Cloud remembered seeing Leon smile back then was when he was reading her letters. The ex-SOLDIER felt his heart begin to quicken and he mentally sighed, he hadn't felt heartache like this in such a long time. He really admired the older man back then; there was just something about Leon that sparked his interest. Maybe it was lion's drive to protect the ones he loved or his will to survive, Cloud just didn't know – Leon was just, well, he was just like something out of a dream. Untouchable, something he could only admire from afar. While the blond wasn't completely smitten with Leon the first time they had met, the two were still good friends. They confided in one another during times of war, trading words like good friends usually did. 'I remember him telling me all about her, how she was so beautiful that she could have been an angel and how she danced like the wind. I remember him telling me that he loved her and she loved him and they were to be married when he returned home to Radiant Garden.' Cloud then sucked in a breath. 'And I remember when he told me that she was all he ever needed and the reason for his existence.' Thinking back, Cloud had to admit that Leon and Rinoa indeed were soul mates. Their bond was something out of this world; sometimes even he felt that his relationship with Leon wasn't that transcendent. The bond between two soul mates is so complex, that it's unexplainable…
"…You mean you defied fate?" Roxas asked, snapping Cloud out of his earlier thoughts and causing him to stand up straighter. He refocused on the task at hand and looked towards Leon, waiting for the words he had heard so many times before. "How?"
"I loved her, I really did," Leon admitted before his cobalt eyes hardened, "but the Zanarkand War changed me." He reached up to finger his Griever necklace, the sole reminder of his virtues. Physically, it represented the lion, an animal he greatly admired from a young age, as well as his strong belief in strength and courage. While not many knew this, Cloud being one of the few people that did, Leon's Griever necklace symbolized Rinoa and the love her had for her before the war. He used to have a ring with the crest of Griever on it but before the war, he gave to Rinoa, a promise ring if you will, vowing that he'd marry her once her returned home. She wore it proudly of course and never took it off but they had made that promise several years ago. He wouldn't be surprised if he found the Griever ring in a lake by now or something. "After what I went through, she couldn't give me what I needed. She couldn't give me the support I craved and although we tried, we could never relate anymore. We looked upon the world with different eyes so things never seemed to fit into place anymore. I needed someone who had the same eyes as me and someone who saw the same things I did." Looking over at Cloud, Leon watched him with fond eyes, how could he have known that the very same man he befriended all those years ago would become his new soul mate? Slipping his hand into Cloud's, Leon squeezed comfortingly. "I defied my fate and chose a new life and I've never looked back once. You have to remember that you're the one who decides how you live your life."
Understanding his father's words, Roxas slowly began to smile, his face lighting up considerably. "Dad, so you're saying that I don't have to listen to my timer? And I can be with whoever I want to be with?" Cloud brushed his thumb against Roxas' cheek and rubbed at it affectionately.
"Of course you can Roxas; you should be with whoever you want to be with. Your happiness is what matters. Don't let some AI or even Shinra for that matter tell you any different." Moving his hand to poke at Roxas' forehead, Cloud applied some pressure and pushed his son's head back a little. "You're the son of a SOLDIER and SeeD Mercenary and you've got a brother that loves you beyond relief, we will support your decision no matter what." Pulling away, Cloud crossed his arms and smiled charmingly at his son. "You'll be fine." Roxas flashed his parents a broad smile and jumped off the bed, throwing his arms around his fathers' waists. He mumbled a word of thanks, nuzzled his face against their chests before dashing away towards Sora's room, wanting to talk to his brother as soon as possible.
"Thanks Dad!" Roxas' voice rang out from the hallway. "I have to talk to Sora, he has to know he can defy his fate too!"
Cloud leaned forward to neaten up Roxas' bed when Leon held out his arm. A pair of blue eyes looked upwards to meet another set of eyes and Cloud found himself losing himself in the depths of Leon's eyes. Lifting a hand to caress Leon's cheek, he was stopped by Leon's own hand and they laced their fingers together. "I may have loved Rinoa but my life belongs to you now. I live for you and the boys."
"I know." Cloud replied back simply.
Leon leaned downwards and brushed his nose against Cloud's and the blond could have sworn the lion was about to kiss him when Leon stilled and stared straight into his eyes. "I'm surprised you didn't tell him about Aerith." The ex-SOLDIER's eyes hardened immensely at that but Leon stared back passively. Although they were indeed married and hopelessly in love, they also were soldiers, some things never changed. A side of them was still cold and unfeeling.
"Like you, that was a long time ago. The boys don't need to know about that." His eyes fluttered close briefly before the wolf sharply opened his eyes, sending a bolt of lightning down Leon's eyes. Only certain members of 1st Class SOLIDERS were infused with the power of Mako and Cloud was one of the few chosen to carry it. SOLDIERs that exhibited eyes like the sky were said to be infused with Mako energy, giving them unimaginable strength and cognitive abilities. Although these SOLDIERs were said to be the strongest of Shinra's army, Leon had never felt intimidated by them. He was strong too after all, a legend among SeeD mercenaries. "Not a single word, Squall." He warned once again. The brunet simply smirked, the corner of his lips curving upwards challengingly.
"Perhaps, but then again, we shall soon see." Leon only said, shrugging away from his husband and making his way out of the room. Cloud watched him go and turned around, finally able to make Roxas' bed. The blond was silent as he did so and his mind was clear until a thought suddenly occurred to him.
"If Roxas' soul mate is Reno's son," he then paused, "then who is Sora's? What did Roxas mean when he said that he needed to tell Sora that he could defy his fate too?"
"Wow." Demyx commented, raising his brows interestedly. "So you're telling me that your soul mate is still in high school? And you're saying that soul mate is the child of two infamous veterans?" The blond asked as he crossed his arms and leaned back against the couch. Axel glanced sideways at him incredulously, wondering why the hell he was so calm and composed right now when he himself was bothered beyond relief.
"I don't understand how those are the only things you cared to pick up on." Axel replied back, shaking his head with his lip curled upwards a bit. "Did you somehow miss me telling you that my soul mate is a guy?!" He shouted irritably as he reached up to gesture with his hand. "How is that you pick all that other useless information up but you ignore the sole problem – my soul mate is a guy!" Choosing not to speak, Demyx only spared him with a shrug. "You're unbelievable." Growling under his breath, the crimson haired man brushed his newly healed cut with his forefinger and looked away.
The musician simply rolled his eyes. "It's not that big of a deal, Axel. You're freaking out over nothing." Demyx shrugged his shoulders again. "What's the problem with your soul mate being a guy? At least you'll be able to relate to them easier." Whirling around, Axel glared at him fiercely, insulted that Demyx had even said such a crazy thing.
"Are you kidding me, Dem? He and I are worlds apart! We're not even in the same generation! He's nothing but a little shit who couldn't even begin to understand the shit I've been through! I bet he doesn't even know what it feels like to have nothing! He's the son of motherfucking 1st Class SOLDIER and SeeD mercenary! He and the other brown haired brat must have had the most luxurious life possible! They probably got anything and everything they ever wanted! They don't know pain, they don't know suffering! Hell, at least that little shit has parents that give two shits about him! I can't even get half that much from mine!" Shaking his head again, Axel clenched his fists, his chest rising and falling rapidly in his frustration.
"The Zanarkand War affected all of us, Axel. I wouldn't be surprised if they had an effect on those boys as well." The blond tilted his head to the side, his oceanic blue eyes studying the older man intensely. When Axel didn't reply, Demyx only rubbed the back of his head. "Listen, I've known you for years and I think this is the first time that I've ever seen you so lively." Emerald orbs immediately blinked confusingly at that so Demyx continued, "I understand that you're really against having relations with someone of the same sex but seriously Axel, this 'Roxas' kid is actually making you feel something." Before Axel could interrupt him with a snide comment, Demyx waved him silent. "This is the first time I've ever seen you so riled up over another person – that's saying something Axel, this kid may be more important to you than you realize."
Axel snorted. "I don't know what you're talking about."
A small smile made itself known on Demyx's face at his best friend's response and he couldn't help but chuckle softly under his breath. Changing the subject a little, he cleared his throat. "Well, if it helps, I hear the Strife-Leonhart kids are pretty special and are well-behaved. My Dad says their father is always boasting about them." Like Axel, Demyx was also considered to be a member of the upper-class in Radiant Garden society. Axel and Kairi were obviously related to Reno and Elena while Demyx was the son of Zell Dincht, a cadet of the SeeD mercenaries. Although Zell may not have been as highly regarded as Squall Leonhart, he was still a respectable war veteran. Ignoring Axel's rolled eyes; the blond ran a hand through his blond locks. "If so, they must be good kids."
"'Well-behaved' my ass." The redhead muttered, thinking back to the party when Roxas struck him in the face unexpectedly. Now that isn't something 'well-behaved' children are supposed to do, right? "Anyway, I'm fine now though Dem, don't worry about it. I'm perfectly content with not having a soul mate. I'll just find a nice girl to settle down with."
"Yeah?" Demyx asked back, his eyes suddenly hardening. Axel had always known his best friend to be a very relax and easy-going kind of guy but when Demyx snaps, he was a force to be reckoned with. That's the thing with Demyx; he always got serious when he needed to. "How can you do that when you're too busy sticking your dick in every girl you see? That's pitiful Axel, you're so much better than that. You deserve so much more than just a simple fuck." Seeing Axel tense in reply, Demyx only continued. "How do you think that girl you'll settle down with will feel when she finds out that you practically whored yourself out for a few weeks?" Moving over towards Axel, Demyx placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, taking note of how cold his skin was. "At least get to know the kid, I'm sure he's not as rotten as you think. Besides Axel, you say you're stuck with a kid for a soul mate but you're acting pretty childish yourself."
Covering his face in his hands, Axel shut his eyes tiredly. "I know, Demyx, I know. I just can't forgive him for what happened. Because of him, Kairi isn't here anymore. Do you know that I can't even call her anymore? Every time I try, the line goes dead and I can't even fucking connect. How could I ever forgive someone for taking away the one thing I needed in my life?"
"She's still here, Axel. It's true that she doesn't physically live with you anymore and that you two are unable to talk but she's still here and she's still reachable. Maybe not now, but soon, you'll get to see her again. Hell, she's so damn feisty that she might even break out herself once she gets the chance. If anything, this might be kind of good for you." Sensing that Axel was about to glare at him again, Demyx held up his hands. "She's like a sister to me too but you've always been taking care of her. I think it's time you took care of yourself for once. You deserve to be happy too, Axel. You shouldn't be denied that opportunity just because she isn't physically here."
"What about you?" The crimson haired man suddenly found himself asking. "What ever happened to meeting your soul mate?" Racking his brain and remembering the numbers he had seen on Demyx's timer, Axel concluded that he probably met his soul mate nearly two weeks ago. "What'd you think?"
Demyx only shrugged but his smile was serene. "It was nothing really. I spied a ring so I assume my soul mate's already married." Not knowing if he should comfort his best friend or not, Axel rubbed the back of his spikes. The blond only laughed at his friend's unasked question. "It's fine Axel; it was more of a 'It's good to see you, have a nice day' sort of thing. We both kind of acknowledged that we weren't right for each other even though our timer dictates so. They looked happy too so I wasn't one to say anything against it." A beep suddenly went off from Demyx's pocket and he was quick to pull out his phone, swiping his thumb from left to right to unlock the phone. His eyes scanned the message quickly before the blond nodded his head. "Hey, I'm actually catching a movie with Zexion and Lexaeus soon. Do you want to come with? We'll probably get food afterwards too."
"Yeah sure, it'll probably be good for me to get out of the house."
"I think so too but shit dude, go take a shower. You fucking stink."
Rolling his eyes at Demyx, Axel flipped him off before smirking in reply. He stood up and made his way over to the bathroom, content on scrubbing away all the impurities he had inflicted on himself during the aftermath of Kairi's absence. The blond watched his best friend's retreating back, noticing that the tension within Axel's muscles finally dissipated. Reaching upwards to stretch out his stiff arms, he could have sworn Axel muttered, "Thanks," before shutting the bathroom door and well, Demyx smiled honestly for the first time today.
"Are you going to be okay?" Sora asked, peering out from the window of the passenger's seat in Riku's car. Today was the day that Roxas would begin his tutoring sessions at Radiant Garden University and at the moment, the three teens were pulled into the college's parking lot. Riku seemed uninterested as he sat in the driver's seat but anyone who knew Riku could tell that he was listening intently on the conversation between the two Strife-Leonhart brothers. Roxas was already outside the car but he had yet to leave the car's side and like Riku, Sora was sitting in the passenger's seat. The brunet watched as Roxas took a good look at his surroundings before he tapped on Roxas' side. "We'll come pick you up after practice."
Turning to look over his shoulder, Roxas nodded. "Sounds good, I'll text you when I'm out." After saying their goodbyes, the three teens went their ways, albeit Roxas from Sora and Riku anyway. The blond walked down the main path to the college, noticing how there were many college students walking around, probably in their attempts to get to class on time. It was still early in the afternoon, around 2:10 or so, and from what Roxas remembered, his tutor would have a break soon and that was why they were able to schedule a tutoring session. Making his way over to the science building, he found the spare study room they agreed to meet at and proceeded to pull out his books. Laying them neatly, Roxas organized them as he waited. In all honesty, he didn't know who he was being tutored by, only that his fathers scheduled him with someone from the university.
Pulling out some homework to worn on whilst he waited, the student began humming a distant lullaby his Aunt Aerith had once sang for him when he and Sora were kids. Twirling his pencil, Roxas began looking through the stoichiometry homework he was assigned. It certainly looked annoying, what with all the mole-to-mole conversions and needing to balance the equations. "Why the hell do I even need chemistry?" Roxas asked himself. "It's not like I want to do this sort of thing when I grow up." Glancing at his phone, the time read 2:16 PM and that meant that his tutor was scheduled to come within the next 10 minutes. Sighing under his breath, he leaned back in his chair, already stuck on the problem he was attempting to do. His delicate hearing picked up a set of heavy footsteps and he quickly stood to his feet, his head inclined downwards respectfully. He heard the sound of clothes rustling and he opened his mouth to speak, "My name's Roxas. Thank you for taking time out of your day to tutor me." All he got in response was a hum and so Roxas looked up, finally looking at his tutor for the first time ever. What had he gotten himself into?
Author's Notes: And there we go everyone, the chapter is done! Yay! We've hit 10 chapters now. That's a pretty good number but alas, we've got several more left to do. I wonder who Roxas' tutor is :) This is pretty unedited, I'm good at that hahaha anyhoo, see you guys next time! Also, hopefully this chapter was better than the last. I know the last one was a bit of a filler so hopefully this one was a better read. Read, review, fave, follow, and all that jazz if you'd like! I'll see you guys soon! Goodbye my beautiful bbys!