Hey everyone Sorry for the little delay,

Work has been a pain, I got Mario Kart for the Wii (WOOOOOOO), Nausicaa of the wind valley, Futurama: Bender's Big Score so yeah whenever I get home ... I have kinda been distracted :P

eeeeee does anyone watch skins?!

I'm not sure it is on in America...

but if you haven't heard of it or whatever google it, watch it, love it and cry at the end with me!

anyway here we go!

Disclaimer: don't own Kingdom Hearts or it's characters

Chapter 14: The Gamble

Roxas awoke dizzy and feeling vague but, despite this, a smile was firmly planted on his lips. He peered around to his dim and dark surroundings and became confused; a strange tapping noise echoed confidently throughout the room. He looked over to Sora's empty bed and allowed his head to drop to his pillow again. But the tapping noise was having none of that. It battered on, loudly, and more irritably while Roxas tugged at his blonde spikes and tried to recognise this noise and sleep again. Sitting up and kicking the bed sheets away from him he marched to the glass door and swung the curtain back.

A dull blue light crept into the room as Roxas was faced with a dreary rainy day. Thumping his hand onto the cool glass, he groaned.

"Sucks, right?" Sora said stepping into the room.

"Where were you?" Roxas asked, opening the balcony door.

"Breakfast."

"What time is it?" Roxas said as he stepped, barefooted, onto the damp tiled floor of the balcony.

"About ten."

Shivers raced up Roxas' spine when he walked out to the balcony. The wet air hung in the atmosphere and the cool air whipped around him. With a heavy sigh, he went back into the now well lit room and pulled out his suitcase from under his bed. Sora, noticing Roxas' actions, copied. Stuffing clothes into his bag, Roxas felt a certain nostalgic swirl of excitement as he thought of soon returning home.

"Geez, you really are quiet in the morning." Sora grumped.

Roxas, without looking up, merely shrugged.

Once Roxas was sure everything that needed to be in his suitcase was in there, he squeezed the case down and attempted to zip it shut. But with the suitcase unquestionably refusing to do as it was told Roxas gritted his teeth and kicked it. I hate packing. Roxas thought as pain surged to his foot.

"Idiot." Sora choked out as he laughed at Roxas' poor efforts at causing the suitcase pain.

"Shut up!" Roxas growled, clutching his foot in pain and picking up a shoe, ready to throw it at Sora.

Sora burst into more hysterics, "HA! Isn't that supposed to be packed?"

"Damn it!" Roxas cursed launching the shoe to the ground.

But with Sora, still laughing, and Roxas too busy cursing and tossing insults at the joyful boy both failed to notice a soaking wet blonde girl entering the room.

"You can't be this noisy in the morning, you know?" Naminé said stepping into the room and leaving wet footprints behind her.

"Morning, Nam!" Sora replied cheerfully, waving.

"Hey." Roxas greeted her with a slight blush at the fact he failed to notice her entering the room and the fact she was soaking wet.

Avoiding looking at her as she took a towel and dried her hair Roxas asked, "Why were you outside?"

"Taking clothes to the dry cleaners and helping the teachers find some more rooms."

"What? Why?" Roxas quizzed, confused, as he struggled to shut his suitcase.

"Here, let me help." Naminé sighed and walked over to Roxas.

She sat on his suitcase and held the sides down. Keeping his head down to hide the blush he quickly zipped the suitcase up.

"So why were you looking for rooms?" Sora asked lying down on his bed.

"Eh? You two don't know?" She said, standing up.

Both boys looked to each other and shrugged.

Rolling her eyes, she continued, "Apparently the rain is worse at the airport and flights have been cancelled all today and tonight so we won't be going home until tomorrow night when the rain is supposed to be off."

"What? Aw, man!" Roxas said throwing his head into his hands.

"Why are you upset? This way we get an extra day for our holiday." Naminé said.

"Hm, suppose." Roxas sighed, running a hand through his hair and standing up to look out the balcony window, "Would've been nice to be home for tomorrow, though."

"Why tomorrow?" Naminé asked, curiously as she stood next to Roxas.

Roxas would admit those words hurt a little but something made him not mind the pain. The nip of the pain didn't surface but the surprise obviously did when Naminé pushed on to know what the next day was to Roxas. Roxas turned to look to an equally surprised Sora.

"Tell me!" Naminé whinged, stamping her foot and laughing, "Come on, tell."

Roxas looked over to Sora again but turned back to the window and faced the cold air radiating from it.

"Doesn't matter. Nothing is happening, Nam." Roxas said, smiling and patting her on the head.

"Don't dismiss me from whatever is happening so easily. Something obviously is. So just tell me."

Roxas, starting to find this an uneasy topic, quickly changed the subject, "Nam! If you knew we would be staying another night why'd you help me close my suitcase!"

"Oh, aha..." She laughed nervously, looking to the closed suitcase, "I forgot."

"Well as punishment you can take some clothes for me to the dry cleaners!" Roxas pronounced, unzipping the stuffed case and pulling out some things and shoving them in a bag.

"WHAT? No, that's way too harsh." Naminé fake sobbed, "I was just out there, it's too cold and wet and-"

She was silenced when a bag was shoved into her hands, moaning she sulked to the door.

"Sora? You coming?" She asked, making her way out.

"Might as well." He shrugged, grabbing some clothes.

Once both had left Roxas retreated to his bed with a sad sigh.

"Right tell me, Sora!" Naminé demanded once they were in the hotel lobby.

"Oh, so that's why you asked me to come!" Sora smirked.

"Tell."

"I can't believe you were just using me!" Sora dramatically shouted.

"Sora, please." She pleaded.

"Nah, don't feel like it." He mused as they stepped out to the wet streets.

The conversation followed this route until both teenagers were bored and waiting in the stuffy laundrette for the clothes to be washed and dried.

An idea sparked in Naminé's mind, "Sora?" She asked with a fox-grin as she dug through her bag.

"Hm?" Sora replied, hardly paying attention.

She yanked her phone out, triumphantly, flicked it open and pushed buttons until she came to her what seemed glorious destination.

"If you tell me what tomorrow is I will send you this!" She proclaimed holding her phone in front of his face.

Sora's blue eyes widened and became glued to the tiny screen as a picture of him and Kari, laughing, unaware of the camera, shone on the screen. (A/N: she always has bribery ready, right? :P)

"Gimme!" Sora cheered as he tried to snatch the phone.

But with Naminé far too quick for the awestruck boy she snapped the phone shut, stuffed it in her pocket and flashed him an evil glint in her eye.

"You gonna tell me now?" She grinned.

Sora, suddenly well aware of the situation reluctantly shook his head.

"Really? But look at how cute you two look here!" Naminé cooed showing him the picture again.

Sora faithfully followed the screen as she waved it around in front of him, giggling.

"This picture has to be worth so much more than what you know, right?" Naminé pushed on.

Sora nodded in a dreamlike state.

"Then tell."

Still following the screen Sora slurred out, "It's his birthday. The big 17."

Naminé stopped moving the phone around as her breathing almost stopped. Sora noticing the effect of this news quickly grabbed the phone, whipped out his and made the send of the picture quick and snappy. Handing the phone back to the shell shocked Naminé, he grinned, satisfied.

"I'm actually surprised you didn't know." Sora said, snapping his fingers in front of her glazed eyes.

"...You sure?" She whispered.

"Yup, 99.978 sure." Sora nodded, wisely.

"Oh."

"Naminé, don't be upset. He said it was alright, remember? He didn't say it his was birthday when you asked so I suppose he is alright with it."

Sora watched the wet girl bow her head in thought. After a quiet moment she suddenly leapt from her seat and shoved an accusing finger at Sora.

"I remember asking you and you said his birthday was in the SUMMER time!" She roared with a scratchy voice.

"Uh... Nam?" Sora said, pulling her down to her seat again and shrugging off the strange looks from people in the dry-cleaners, "What month is it?"

"June." She retorted.

Sora raised his eyebrows to Naminé and waited for the logic button in her mind to click onto 'on' mode."Oh." She said, quietly, hanging her head.

Roxas yawned and awoke from his sleep as he felt a small jabbing at his stomach.

"Piss off, Sora." He drawled out, turning around and digging his face in his pillow.

"Charming."

Roxas' eyes shot open as he heard the familiar feminine voice.

Bolting up into a straight sitting position he attempted a smile as Naminé grinned back to him.

"Ahaahaa. Roxas, you have such a cute sleepy face!" She laughed, ruffling his hair.

From her light touch on his head a tingling sensation raced from his head to his toes. He simply melted from her touch.

Still blushing he asked, "Where's Sora?"

"Moving your stuff to the other room."

"Why can't we stay here?"

"Because-oh, I forgot to tell you off!" She said, bringing her hand to her head and dragging it down her face, "Must be you're sleepy face that distracted me!"

Roxas grinned to himself; Naminé was being especially nice today!

"Really, all the girls must love you to bits when you wake up from your sleeps at school." She laughed.

Roxas' felt his jaw drop. She still doesn't get it! He whined in his mind. I don't care what the hell other girls think!

"Anyway get up!" Naminé commanded.

In response he obediently stood and raided the bag of clean clothes Naminé had brought back.

"Yeah, yeah- wait why did you wanna tell me off?"

"AH, THAT'S RIGHT!" She exclaimed, marching over to him while Roxas took a few precautionary steps back.

"You didn't tell me it was you're birthday!" She said stomping up to him.

Roxas edged back but was trapped when his back met the glass balcony door.

"Ah, that." He nervously laughed as she stood with her arms folded in front of him.

"Roxas! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well... I didn't see the point." He shrugged, anxious, but spotting an opportunity he asked, "Why did you want to know?"

"Because friends buy each things for their birthdays!"

And this is how Roxas came to hate the word 'friends'. That bloody word had hit him where it hurts too many times now.

"Oh yeah." He murmured back.

Naminé spotted this sadness, took a step closer to him and looked up to him with those eyes that made Roxas crumble.

With weak knees Roxas managed to stutter out, "W-what?"

"You're sad." She bluntly stated.

"Am not." He fought back as he suddenly realised he was trapped.

"Are to." She huffed but smiling up to him she asked, "Roxas, what can I do to make you happy?"

Roxas could not contain himself. The thousands of (shall we say?) inappropriate thoughts that dashed through his mind made him dizzy and feel vague. Looking down into her big, blue sparkling eyes and that sweet smile that so gracefully waited on her tempting lips he nearly passed out from overheating and his knees seemed to give up on him too.

But with a wobbly stance he managed a "Well...s- sssay-uh-y-you...b-b-b..."

What the fuck am I saying? Seriously. This is ridiculous. I sound like a drunk monkey. Fuck sake, SPEAK ENGLISH. But unable to react to his own commands Roxas was mercifully silenced by Naminé's laughter.

"You're so funny." She giggled as she stepped away from him and skipped off to the door.

Great, Roxas mentally huffed.

"You have 20 minutes to get out of here. Your new room is 421,upstairs." And at that she was gone.

Once retaining his self Roxas showered dressed, said his goodbyes to his old room and made his way upstairs. Stepping into the elevator, he pressed the '4' button and waited. Exiting the lift, he ran his hand down the buttons and stepped into the hall. The hall was an exact replica of the previous one Roxas' room had been on.

Roxas wandered down the hall and scanned the door numbers as he passed each door. 419...420... and 421! Roxas uneasily stared at the door for a small moment but took a step forward and knocked on it. Hearing footsteps he waited, nervously but relieved smiled a greeting when Sora opened the door, grinning like there was no tomorrow.

"Why are you so happy?" Roxas quizzed, pushing past Sora and heading into the room.

"I thought you were my pizza I ordered." Sora mumbled shutting the door.

Roxas looked around to the room and found Naminé and some other faces from his class who were also on the trip. Suddenly the door opened again. Roxas turned around and was met by the teacher and Nicholas.

"Right everyone!" The teacher called out while Roxas glared to Nicholas as he sat down next to Naminé, "About 6 of you can stay in here and two in the other small room, have you all phoned your guardians and what not?"

The class chimed out a 'yes' and the teacher was soon gone.

Hearing Nicholas's voice Roxas made sure he was listening, "Naminé," The French boy slurred out, " That small room is for you and I will be the one to accompany you in there."

A fuse sparked in Roxas, "WHAT?" He bawled out, "GO HOME AND STAY THERE!"

The full room became silent.

"I gave up my room for some more students and the living room is full too." Nicholas retorted, receiving many a 'awws' from the girls in the room.

Ignoring the lingering, curious eyes he continued, "And...? Since when do you decide these kind of things? Nam would much prefer to stay in a room with either me or Sora! Right, Nam?"

Looking to Naminé with determined eyes she answered, "Well, I don't really mind-"

"SEE! She completely agrees with me!" Roxas cut in vigilantly , "So I will stay in the room with her!"

"Why don't you let her decide?" Nicholas coolly asked.

"FINE." Roxas barked back.

Roxas kneeled in front of Naminé and shot full blown puppy dog eyes at her while Nicholas steadily and calmly turned to her with a serene smile.

"Uh..well..." She stammered out.

"Choose, Nam." Nicholas calmed her.

Roxas suddenly spotting the strain the blonde was under came up with a plan when he noticed a deck of cards. He stood up and picked up the cards and turned to Nicholas.

"Highest number wins?" Roxas asked to which Nicholas merely nodded.

Roxas handed the deck of cards to Sora and Sora shuffled them, expertly. Once shuffled the cards were held out in front of both boys.

As Roxas watched Nicholas pick his card he realised he had often thought life as a gamble. Risks were always involved. Only the brave people took these risks. Some succeeded, some failed, some just stayed the same. Roxas had always admired it when the gamblers of living simply said 'Fuck it' and done what they wanted to just for the sake of appreciating the time they had and enjoying life. He admired the fact if they lost they would smile and still live for living. But he had never saw himself as brave or a risk taker until this moment. This was his choice. He could receive a high number, proclaim it, win the room with Naminé, tell her his feelings and live happily ever after. Or... she could reject him completely. He would lose her and live sadly ever after. This was his choice. His gamble. But what Roxas wasn't sure about as he picked up the card and turned it to face him, if he was brave enough to gamble everything he had with her.

Roxas had the card number 9 and 9 red hearts were predominate on it. And so the gamble begun. He could denounce his card and allow Nicholas a default win or take the risk, say 'Fuck it' and give it his all. Looking up to Nicholas he saw a confident smirk on the French boy's face. And as he stared at that smirk he felt any ounce of bravery fade away deep within him. But it only took a quick glance to her. That one little look at her blue eyes and smile made his heart soar and swell with what he thought to be bravery.

"Well?" Roxas said, now confident.

Nicholas watched Roxas. Roxas kept his eyes glued to his opponent's card. And slowly it turned. To reveal a number... 8.

Grinning madly Roxas flicked his card around and revealed the winning card. Looking to Naminé she congratulated him with a warm smile.

Roxas looked to a disgruntled Nicholas and could only sing out in his mind 'HA! Sucks to be you!'.

But the sheer joy of this moment was washed away as Sora leaned down and chuckled, "Oooh, the full night with Nam? Wonder what'll happen."

A heavy bucket full of nerves and blushes immediately replaced Roxas' winning joy.

"Roxas, you have to get ready soon, yeah?" Naminé asked slicing Roxas' thoughts.

"W-what for?"

"Because it is your birthday, we're all going out! And I'm paying for your drinks as a present!" She said with a wink.

Oh Shit was the first thought that registered in Roxas' mind. For, you see, Roxas was the kind of person to get a little too honest after a few drinks and with Naminé going the image of him in a drunken state and singing his love for her to anyone was not the most attractive thing for him at the moment but as he clutched onto that 9 hearted card Roxas could only think 'fuck it', here comes the real gamble.

What'd you think?

Review please :)