Disclaimer: KH © Squeenix. (They make pretty people… )

Note: I don't remember who it was, but someone came up with the name "Excuses" for Chapter 7. If this is you, e-mail me please. You are the winner! (I remember what her name came up as when she e-mailed me, but I can't remember her e-mail, so I'll know if it's her.)

Chapter 10: Heart to Heart

The police talked with the Hikari twins soon after the truth came out, sending everyone else out of the room. "I can't believe we missed all the signs…" Riku, who was sitting on the floor, muttered in a moment of silence. "Sora became the master of excuses for injuries, but even I didn't believe some of them…" He looked up at standing Axel. "Why didn't it hit us?"

Axel shrugged. Sora's problem should have been easy for all of them to see; he had to agree with Riku on that. "Roxas' wasn't so obvious, Riku. Sora's was wide open. And why the hell would his dad…do that…?"

"Talking about Roxas?" Demyx asked. At Axel's nod, he stared at the floor, leaning against the wall. "I have a suspicion, but it's something that I've noticed over the years."

Axel looked at the sitar player curiously. "What? Are you making excuses for the bastard?"

"No, I'm just saying that I don't think he thought Mrs. Hikari was dead."

"What?" Axel cocked his head to the side, completely confused. "What does Mrs. Hikari's death have to do with this?"

Demyx closed his eyes. "Well, first of all, it was shortly after Mrs. Hikari's death that Sora started coming to school with the most random injuries. Only in the past year have they gotten serious. Also, Do you remember Mrs. Hikari's face? Think about her for a moment."

Axel, Riku, and Demyx all closed their eyes. Mrs. Hikari had been quite the pretty one. She'd had blonde hair to her shoulders, and gorgeous sapphire eyes, which sparkled in the sunlight radiantly. Her skin was soft, and a perfect ivory. Her face was kind and gentle.

Axel then opened his eyes and looked at Demyx. "…And?"

Demyx shook his head, pulling his wallet out of his pocket. "Think about it Axel. It's as plain as day." He walked over, showing Roxas' class picture. "Look at him. Think of Mrs. Hikari."

Axel took the picture, staring at it. He then saw an image of Mrs. Hikari in the back of his mind. The two overlapped and his eyes widened. "He saw Mrs. Hikari when he looked at Roxas…"

Demyx nodded. "I've said something about it before. Don't you remember? I said to you, 'Roxas really looks like his mom now' and you smiled and nodded." He smiled. "He really does…look like Mrs. Hikari…"

"Wait a sec," Riku muttered. "How did you know something was up?" When Demyx blinked stupidly at him, he explained. "Not even a week ago, you told us that they were going though a living hell. How the hell did you get this information? No one knew about what was going on."

Demyx leaned back against a wall. "Truth is…I heard it. See, my parents are getting a divorce, and refuse to stay in the same house. I was on my way to my dad's at the time, and passed by the Hikari's place. I heard someone yelling, their dad I guess, and Sora crying. Then I heard Roxas scream 'stop it, leave him alone'. After that…I knew something was wrong. I called them later, and asked Roxas about it. He didn't answer, but said something about hell. Then I heard Sora's screams again and Roxas hung up. I only made an assumption, but I didn't want them to know I kinda knew." He kicked the floor slightly. "…There, I said it."

Riku was about to reply when the door opened and the police came out. They thanked the Hikari twins, and said they'd keep in touch. Roxas nodded and walked with the officers to the end of the hall, thanked him, then came back. He sighed. "This is hell in a hand basket." He looked around. "Where'd Namine go?"

"She had to go home. It's nearly nine, Rox."

Roxas blinked. "…Oh…I didn't know that. I'm so full of adrenaline, I didn't even realize it." He smiled at the others faintly. "You guys should go home."

"Pfft!" Axel snickered. "Rox, my mom doesn't know I'm home."

"And my parents are too preoccupied with the divorce to notice what's going on," Demyx added happily.

Riku smirked. "My parents are already ok with me either staying here, or everyone staying with us."

Roxas stared at them all, not sure what to say. "…" He opened his mouth to say something, but the words wouldn't come. He then stared at his feet.

"In other words!" Demyx clapped a hand on Roxas' shoulder. "We're staying together whether you like it or not!"

Roxas looked up at the blond, and smiled softly. "Thanks…to all of you."

"You shouldn't have had to go through this on your own," Riku muttered, standing up. "We gotta make up for it now…"

Axel smiled at Roxas. "And besides, we're all friends. We stick together, especially when things are there hardest." He gently pulled the blond into his arms, nuzzling his face into the other's hair. "I want you to remember that no matter what has happened, no matter what WILL happen, all of us are here, 100 percent."

Roxas' arms snaked around Axel's waist, his eyes shutting slowly as a sign of contentment. "…I'll remember that…"

Riku rolled his eyes, walking back into Sora's room. Demyx giggled and followed after, shutting the door behind him. This left the two alone in the silent hallway, holding each other gently, listening to their synchronized heartbeats. One of Axel's hands stroked the younger's hair softly. "…I can't believe this…" he whispered. "This is just…unbelievable in the worst way…"

Roxas sighed, his hand tracing a heart on the small of Axel's back. "It can't be helped."

"Sure it can." Axel pulled away slightly. "It's called child protective services."

"They'd take us away, and we'd probably never see each other again."

"…" Axel sighed. "If it meant you two being safe, I think we'd let you go…Ya know, they say if you love someone, to let them go and hope they return." He gave the boy a sad smile. "If I had to, I'd let you go and hope you'd come back to me."

Roxas' eyes began to water. "…Axel…"

Axel placed a slender finger on Roxas' lips, stopping the older Hikari from speaking. The younger closed his mouth and eyes with a sigh. The red head leaned down and gently pressed his lips to Roxas'. Roxas' eyes snapped open, his face red and heart pounding. His hands clenched nervously behind Axel's back, but after a moment, he relaxed, closing his sapphire orbs again. When Axel pulled away, Roxas blinked up at him cutely. Axel chuckled. "I've been wanting to do that."

Roxas smiled. He rose onto his tiptoe-toes, about to close the gap between them again, when he heard something behind him-rather loudly.

"Axel and Roxas, sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Demyx had opened the door, revealing the scene to Riku and Sora. As a result, Sora and Demyx had started singing. "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage!" The two giggled as the two boyfriends blushed furiously. Riku merely rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't kissing him!" Axel defended. "………….I was……..Checking for cavities…"

Riku snorted. "Whatever, dude. Hey listen. The nurses aren't going to allow us to stay over night with Sora. Let's all get to my house before it gets too late. We'll come back tomorrow morning. Alright?" The others nodded, and bid Sora good night.

"Roxas?"

Roxas turned. Sora was twisting the sheets in his hands. "What is it?"

"I…Uh…nevermind. I'll talk to you later. G'night Roxas."

Roxas cocked his head to the side, but nodded. "Yeah, night."