Tears: Part 2

Roxas never realized how many people had attended the funeral, even with his and Sora's friends combined. Some have gone home afterwards, the others returned with Cid to their house. He let his eyes wander around his small living room. Leon, Tidus, Tifa, Yuffie, Hayner, Orette, Pence, and even Cloud came. And this was only the living room.

He sighed and laid back against the sofa. He didn't bother to change or do anything when he got back. Something fuzzy then dropped on his head, covering his face. "Gah!"

"You're going to leave a wet mark there," said a rough voice. Roxas pulled the towel off his head and glared up at Cid, who was also still soaked from head to toe.

"Yeah, well…too bad."

Cid snorted and plopped himself down next to Roxas. He picked up his mug of black coffee from the tiny table in front of them but didn't drink the dark liquid. Only stared at the rim of his cup. "…It's going to be a lot quieter now…maybe a little too quiet without him."

Roxas blinked and stared at the wrinkles on his pants. His uncle was never really fond of their 'horsing around,' which Sora had contradicted as 'the small pleasure of their short, scarred lives.' It wasn't like Sora to come up with something as poetic as that. He must have gotten it from Kairi.

Kairi…did she go home? He hoped she did. It might take her more than just a while to emotionally recover. But just how long will that take a person with a broken heart? Naminé had told him it could take more than a year or maybe…she was afraid to mention this, but he figured it out on his own. Maybe they won't able to.

"I don't want to see her cry…please be happy with her."

He had understood only so much of his brother's last request. Be happy with her. Meaning continuing with the lives they lived before, even without him? Or is there a deeper implication to it? Probably.

That was what he didn't understand.

"Hey…hey, quit drifting off." Cid's mug was shoved under his nose, the stale smell of coffee overwhelming his senses. Roxas drew back in disgust and scrunched up his face. Cid then placed it in his hands. "Here."

"…I don't like coffee."

"I'm not tellin' ya to drink it. Just wash it for me. I'm going to bed," the blonde man retorted before getting up and proceeding to his bedroom, saying goodbye to the people who were leaving.

Roxas watched him go and then stood up to go to the kitchen. He saw Aeris and Naminé sitting at the table having a conversation over a cup of tea. They both glanced warily at him when he came in, though he didn't pay much attention to it. Only when he had finished with his task of washing the mug, did Aeris speak up.

"Roxas?"

"…Hmm?"

"Is it alright if Kairi and I stay over for the night?"

It took a few minutes for him to register the thought into his head. "Why?"

"Well, her parents aren't home because they're away on a business trip…and I can't get her to tell me where her keys are."

His blue eyes widened. Is her condition that bad? "Where is she now?"

"Riku put her in your room."

"I hope you don't mind," came another masculine voice. He turned around and saw the platinum-haired teen. He was Sora's closest friend, after Roxas. "I didn't want to leave her in Sora's room."

Roxas could only nod. "No, I don't mind. And sure you can, Aeris. Is it alright if you take the couch, though? I'll sleep in the basement."

Aeris shook her head vigorously. "Oh, no, no! I'll be fine. I won't be able to sleep anyway so I'll just watch after her."

"Just take the couch, Aeris," the blonde said and left.

"…Ok."

There was no point in brining up an argument or any disagreement with him. What he wanted was to be left alone to his own thoughts. He need silence from all the murmurs and whispering. He was sick of the color black. Just wanted everyone to leave.

"Later, Roxas." Leon gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder, which Roxas could only nod in return. Yuffie gave him a bone-crushing bear hug, one that seemed to paralyze him.

"Kiddo, you have to change or else you're going to catch pneumonia."

Someone ruffled his hair but he didn't care who. He just waved wordlessly to each person that passed.

"See ya."

"Bye, Roxas."

"Hey, don't stress yourself out, k?"

Finally. Gone. Over. Roxas closed the front door and quickly locked it. 'Now what?' Sighing, he went to go find Aeris only to discover she had already collapsed on the couch. She had been tending to Kairi so long, it took more out of her than she had expected. He shook his head and glanced at the clock. It was five already, huh? '…Guess I'll have to find her a blanket.'

He headed upstairs and passed Sora's room. A chill swept through him, as if his entire body was encased in ice. He shuddered and grabbed the extra covers from the closet across and hurried back downstairs, only to realize he's forgotten to get his pajamas.

But he didn't want to disturb Kairi anyways. Plus, he was accustomed to sleeping in just his boxers. And it's not that the basement didn't have heat or anything. It was no big deal.

Roxas gently placed the blankets over Aeris. 'And she said she wasn't going to get any sleep.' He turned and headed to the basement. It irritated him a little. How people try so hard but in the end, even to the last moment, giving in is inevitable. Yet he can't blame them. They were human and prone to such exhaustion of the body and soul. It makes him wonder…was that the reason why they were mortal? He shook his head. Pointless thoughts. He just wanted to rest. To sleep.

He found it difficult to fall out of consciousness, even though he was thoroughly fatigued. He just sat there, staring up at the cracked ceiling. How long was it going take for sleep to reach him? Maybe counting sheep will help…nah, he didn't believe in those childish games. At least, not anymore. Not since Sora had stopped counting.

When they both couldn't sleep, Sora would always say he'd count to 100. However, he had fallen asleep between the fifties and sixties. So Roxas continued for him, all the way to a hundred. Now there was nobody he could count for anymore.

"Then you should do it for yourself." His twin had said so for something he couldn't remember, but it was definitely not for counting sheep.

"Sure…if I feel like doing it." You can call him lazy. Lethargic. Whatever. "I'm not up to it." And he buried his face into his pillow, letting the heavy burden that weighed him down fall into the depths of slumber.

He awoke in the middle of the night, or so he thought. He cursed Cid for not installing more toilets in the house because now he'll have to go two flights of stairs just to pee. Groaning, he shifted himself out of bed, pulled on his pants and carefully made his way to the stairs, trying to avoid bumping into anything.

Cid's snoring could be heard all the way from the kitchen as he passed the living room. His eyes finally adjusted to the darkness and can make out dimly the image of a sleeping figure occupying the couch. The brunette had not moved an inch from her position. Talk about heavy sleepers.

Roxas winced at every little creak the stairs made when he climbed them. He was always afraid that his foot would one day break through the wood and get it stuck there.

"Then I'll pull you out."

"Huh?" The blonde picked up his head and searched for the source of the voice. It didn't seem like he was hearing things. He could have recognized it immediately.

His ghost was haunting him.

Roxas's heartbeat quickened, his cerulean eyes darting to every corner trying to find a trace of white shadow or some sort of sign. Nothing. Taking a deep breath, he turned to open the door to Cid's bedroom and peeked inside. The man was lying on his stomach with his mouth open and his left arm dangling over the side of his bed. Quietly as he could, Roxas closed the door and continued further down the small hallway to the water closet.

After finishing his business, he came out only to face Sora's door. He couldn't recall how long it's been closed, but something told him to go in. He wasn't aware that he had obeyed that faint command until he was already standing there, right in the middle of his brother's room. Everything was the way it was. Nothing seemed out of place. Suddenly, he was startled by a sharp grunt that came from next door, causing him to bump a few picture frames off a shelf. One landed on his foot.

He bit his lip, trying not to yell out and bent down to pick it up. He flipped the frame over. It was a picture of them, Sora and Kairi. She had her arms wrapped around his torso and his loosely around her waist. They were smiling at the camera. They were in love.

Roxas gazed sadly at the photo before picking up another. This one was taken during their first summer at Cid's, one where they were running in circles on the lawn and the sprinklers were on.

A small whimper caught his ears. It was coming from his room. He stood up and placed the pictures back where they belonged.

"So-Sora…"

Roxas glanced into the hallway. Maybe he should…but what if…

Kairi was crying. She must be having a nightmare. Without a second thought, he quickly left Sora's room and knocked on his own door. "Kairi?" he whispered but was only answered with sobs. "Kairi…I'm coming in, ok?"

He entered and found her weeping into the pillow. She was still in her mourning attire and, if possible, even paler than before. He cautiously took a few steps forward, trying to see her face which was hidden from view by her shoulder-length hair.

"Kairi…?" He touched her shoulder and shook her gently. "Kairi? Are you alright?" Of course, she wasn't alright. But what else could he say?

The redhead slowly moved her head and what he saw shocked him. Her eyes were swollen and bloodshot from crying. The light that once danced fervently in those blue orbs was nothing more than a small flicker of emotion. Her lips and cheeks had lost the color of warmth. She looked so…broken. Almost as if she was destroyed by grief. He swallowed hard.

'What should I do?'

Finally, he sat next to her and took her hand in his. He couldn't do anything now, because he was still trying to recover on his own. It wasn't the right time to say "Cheer up" because it just wasn't. It didn't feel right. All he could do was share his pain with her.

He gave her a weak smile and patted her hand. "You're going to be okay, Kairi…you can cry as much as you want." Cry to her heart's content. No matter how long it may take for those tears to dry.

She was staring at him blankly, without expression. As if she had never met him before. As if he was a stranger. Suddenly, she surprised him by throwing her arms around his neck and started sobbing into his neck. "Kai-!"

"Sora! Please don't go! Please don't leave me!" He could feel those warm salty droplets sliding down his skin. He stayed there frozen, not knowing what to do. So he slowly brought his arms around her smaller frame and patted her back. "Please, Sora…don't go…"

Roxas had never even thought he would land in this predicament. Right now, he wanted to blame Sora for putting her to the state she's in. For hurting her. For not being here as he should be. "I…I'm not Sora, Kairi…" He pulled her back to stare at her face, catching a quick glimpse of hope that vanished almost as fast as it came. She probably realized he was not the one she called for. She only mistook their identical looks. "I know it's hard…" His voice was cracked and struggling to find the words to comfort her. "I know it's difficult to accept the fact that…he's not here anymore. But you have to, Kairi. You have to-"

She shook her head, cutting him short. An exasperated smile formed on her lips. "Wha…what are you saying, Sora? You're right in front of me. You silly bum. It is you." She raised a hand to touch his cheek. It felt so cold. "See? If you weren't here, I wouldn't be about to touch you."

She was delusional. Hallucinating. In denial.

Roxas has lost the ability to speak. He wanted to pry her hand away and make her see the truth. Yet…if she did, then it would only bring her more misery. He didn't want that. In truth, he didn't want her to take her hand away. With a huge effort, he tore his gaze away from her. His chest felt hollow, yet fumed with indescribable heat and confusion.

"Don't turn away, Sora…"

But he wasn't Sora.

"Look at me…"

He didn't want to. He wasn't sure what he was feeling right now.

He felt her head press against his bare chest and looked down, to be overwhelmed with more sorrow and bewilderment. Something tugged at his heart and told him to pull her closer to him. His arms moved against his will and brought her into an embrace.

Kairi pushed herself closer into his torso. "You're…you're right here. Please…promise me. Promise me you'll never leave me again. Please…Sora."

Another promise. Even though he was not the intended person she had hoped for, he was going to promise for her sake. For his promise to Sora. "I…I promise." 'I'm not Sora…but I'll be there for you. I'll take care of you…in his place.'

Her crying soon subsided and she fell asleep. He slowly lowered her onto her back and tucked her in, making sure not to disturb her. Even in the dark, he could see her lips moving every so often, mouthing soundless words. He sat there and watched her, wondering if she was dreaming about him.

He never realized how beautiful she was, even in her current condition. He never noticed how pretty her azure eyes were, or how much he wanted her to smile again. To be honest, they've never really talked or even say more than a "hello" to each other. It wasn't fair. It seemed like a mini-bomb shell had suddenly exploded on him when he turned his head and wasn't looking. The uneasy feeling he had gotten when she hugged him still lingered. He knew he wasn't going to be able to get rid of it, so why bother trying?

Perhaps Sora went through the same thing. But then again, the spiky-haired brunette didn't have the pressure of having to look after his brother's girlfriend if anything happened to him.

There was only one way he could go. Forward. He'll have to walk that path with her, because they can't do it alone.

"Everything's going to turn out okay, you'll see," the ever present,happy voice of a young boy echoed in his mind. A memory of him.

A small sigh escaped his lips. 'I hope so, Sora. I really hope so.'

SD: There you have it. Witness Roxas in all his shirtless glory. xD J/k. J/k.
Hmm…this was shorter than I expected it to be…and I apologize for the ending. It's really…terribly offish. Dunno why. Probably because I was reading this book my friend gave me for my B-Day. Then again, maybe the whole thing is rather offish. Urk.
…Not really what I wanted. Blame my amateur skills. T.T Sorry! I promise I'll do better on the next one.

So...part 2 of 5 is finished. I'll probably start on the next one today. My internet at home is not working so I won't be able to read your reviews until Monday. Urgh...

Mucho thanks to all those who reviewed. I LUVLUVLUV you all! x33

Tell me what you think…please?