Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

murky

Roxas woke up feeling like his head was on fire. He groaned.

"I should've listened to Sora."

Books from the day before lay in a pile on his bedroom floor and while Roxas knew it wasn't good to keep them there, he'd been so tired the night before and just drifted off. He looked up. With the lights on it seemed. That'd rake up electricity bills. "Take some medicine. It's better safe than sorry," Sora said in his head. A quick sting pricked the back of his head. Roxas rubbed the spot, hoping the sting would subside. It felt like a jab and when it happened again, he let out a hum.

Maybe to other people it was strange, but Roxas tended to hum when he was sick. The sting came again. He sat down, feeling the world disappear into darkness for a few seconds. Okay, that wasn't good. He stayed there for a few moments before getting up and heading to the kitchen.

"You're sick," Sora greeted him, toast in his mouth.

"I know," was his reply.

Before Sora could retort with an, "I told you to take some medicine," Roxas shot his brother a glare.

Instead, Sora chimed in with, "You wanna take some medicine now?"

"Mhm." Roxas' head thunk'd against the table. When would the stinging go away? He heard Sora rummage through the cabinet for medicine. The thought of taking liquid medicine made his stomach churn. On that note, he had to eat something, preferably nothing solid or heavy.

There was that paper due in biology. His math test. Then he had to finish reading The Values of Twilight Town's Pipeline System. Not to mention the powerpoint due next week. Sure, it could wait, but Roxas didn't want to fall behind like last time. He shuddered. Last semester was rough.

The sound of a cup clinking against the table brought his focus back to the present. Sora handed him pills. Roxas could do pills, just not liquid medicine. That stuff was awful.

"Thanks." Whoa, his voice sounded way more gross and croaky than when he was still in his room.

Sora was quiet for a moment. He didn't speak even after finishing his toast. "I don't think you should go to school today," he said.

"What?"

"You're sick and it sounds pretty bad."

"But -"

"Chill, I can bring back your homework for you if it's that important. Just rest."

"You're acting like a mom."

Sora laughed and slung his bag over his shoulder. "Don't tell Riku that, he still thinks I'm a baby. See ya after school!"

He was leaving very early.

Roxas didn't reply. He gulped down his medicine before raiding the fridge for something to eat. He could submit his biology paper online. Another day of reviewing for math wouldn't be too bad, right? His copy of The Values of Twilight Town's Pipeline System was in his bag and he could use his laptop to research for his powerpoint.

It was better to be ahead rather than behind. It was better to be ahead rather than behind. It was better to be ahead rather than behind. It was better to be ahead rather than behind. It was better to be ahead rather than behind.

His head hurt.

What Roxas remembered most was eating something or the other before waking up on the couch and seeing it was already 4:00 pm. He wasted the day away.

Sora sat on the leg of an armchair laughing and talking on the phone. Once he saw Roxas was awake, Sora shot him a smile before heading to his room for privacy. Roxas checked his phone for any new messages, but there were only texts from Sora and emails from school. He was in need of friends.

It felt like he sat there on the couch for an eternity trying to steady his breathing and not let the fogginess get to him.

Bathroom. Medicine. Eat. Homework. Sleep. School.

It was only one day he missed, that's all.


a/n: I got the first line in my head and figured it'd be a good starting point for a story. I guess this is more abstract or at least, a bit subtle? idk. It came out a sadder than I thought it would.