I'm so glad to hear that everyone enjoyed the nice, fluffy, tearful reunion of the Sea-Salt Trio. It was so wonderful to write it and give them a chance to talk about everything (and there was indeed a lot that they needed to get out in the open).
I remember hearing someone compare Axel/Lea to Nani from "Lilo and Stitch." A young adult who was abruptly saddled with the responsibility of raising a kid (or two kids) without much warning and is pretty much in over his head while trying his best. And yeah, he loves them to death and would do anything to take care of them and keep them safe. But he is just as likely to do the "oh no, gravity is increasing on me" thing to them. I like that comparison.
Anyway, thanks so much for all the lovely feedback on that last chapter. Hopefully you'll enjoy this one too.
Donald woke up, still groggy, to find Goofy's foot in his face.
Sadly, this wasn't an uncommon occurrence. With how much the three of them traveled together, with all the different worlds that they visited, they'd long since settled into a general sleeping arrangement. One that worked regardless of location or how little space that they might have.
It started when they were forced to nap in the cockpit of the Gummi Ship, parked out of sight of any enemies that might be roaming the lanes between worlds. But there was only so much room in the cockpit and the chairs, while comfortable enough during flights, were not designed to sleep in. Their best option was to pile a bunch of blankets and such together and use the result as a makeshift bed. And the best way to make use of the available space and blankets…
Well, there was no dignified way to describe it. They regularly ended up sleeping in a tangled pile together, practically cocooned in blankets. And even when they camped out in a tent bought from the Moogles, they somehow ended up in the same arrangement. After a couple of years, the trio were used to napping in cozy piles together. And Donald had grown accustomed to the fact that the other two tended to toss, turn, and migrate around in their sleep.
Yawning, he glanced around blearily. The three of them were piled on a large bed. While Donald managed to keep his head on the pillow, Goofy ended up lying upside down in comparison and Sora was draped sideways across the bed. The kid was practically dangling over the edge and snoring quietly. Sora could sleep almost anywhere.
After a moment of wondering if he should try waking someone up to ask what happened, Donald decided to tug the blanket up a little higher. Then he rolled over so that he was no longer facing Goofy's feet. It was still dark, the others were sleeping comfortably, and a couple more hours of rest would be nice. And it wasn't like finding out the result in the middle of the night would change whether the spell did any good.
He did hope that it worked. Even if logic told him that the chances were too slim to have helped in time, he hoped that Curaza worked.
But he could wait a little longer to find out whether he should be happy or if that tiny hope was dashed. He was still tired and sleep still felt too tempting.
When Kairi woke up to find the other bed empty, she immediately had her suspicions of where to start looking. So, after combing out the worst of the tangles from her hair with her fingers and smoothing out her skirt, she slipped out of the room to track down Xion. She wanted to make sure that the girl was all right that morning.
Besides, she should drop off Lea's coat.
It didn't take long to wander her way back to the correct room. And she didn't encounter anyone else in the corridor. One of the perks of being an early riser.
The door was open a crack, so it was easy for Kairi to slip inside silently. And just as she expected, Xion was there. And so was Roxas. But the scene made her pause, the sight warming her heart.
The two of them were curled up on either side of Lea on the bed, his arms curled around the pair. He was propped up slightly, but his head had slumped to the side until it rested against Roxas's hair. Lea was still asleep, just like he was the last time that she saw him. But his new position suggested that he'd woken up at some point. Probably whenever Roxas and Xion joined him.
His complexion looked healthier. And while she could see more of his injuries now that he was sitting up, the bruises showed far more yellow and green with only the worst of them peeking over the bandages still that dark purple shade. He was healing.
Smiling briefly, Kairi quietly set the black coat back on the table. Then she crept back out of the room.
It didn't take long for her to return to the bedroom that she'd been staying in the night before. She dove into the wardrobe in the corner, finding linens and similar supplies in a lower drawer. She gathered what she needed and hurried back down the corridor.
Maybe it was a small gesture in the grand scheme of things, but Kairi felt better as she carefully pulled a soft blanket over the trio. Lea's head shifted slightly, his brow furrowing for a moment. But when she softly shushed him, trying to sound soothing and reassuring, he relaxed and settled back down as she gently wrapped the blanket around his shoulders and tucked it around Roxas and Xion. She remembered him being a light sleeper during their training while she, like Sora, could sleep through almost anything. But even half-asleep, Lea apparently realized that he didn't need to worry about her. The two younger ones snuggled closer to Lea and his arms briefly tightened around them, but everyone seemed content with the warm blanket.
The entire scene was too adorable and sweet for words. And, thanks to the new Gummiphone that Jiminy provided to her and several of the others, she could now capture the cute moment as a photo for future enjoyment.
With them properly taken care of, Kairi slipped back out again. Since she was up anyway, maybe she could hunt down some breakfast. She was certain that everyone would appreciate having a proper meal when they woke up. Maybe she could drag Sora into helping. From what she'd heard, he'd picked up some cooking skills during his most recent travels.
Carrying a small collection of medical supplies, Ansem headed towards their makeshift recovery room. He could have asked one of his apprentices (did he deserve to even call them that anymore?), but it felt like something that he should take care of himself. After all the harm that he'd done in the past, he would seize any opportunity to help.
While the door was open slightly, he pushed it open further with a creak. Ansem caught a glimpse of Roxas and Xion sleeping next to Lea, all of them tucked under a blue blanket, before the younger pair's heads shot up and the young man started blinking blearily. By the time Ansem set his supplies on the table, Roxas was already standing in front of the bed. His posture was protective. Ansem would almost call it aggressive except the boy wouldn't meet his eyes.
He hadn't the night before either. Not when Roxas came in, his shoulders hunched and tense as he claimed that he couldn't sleep. Not when Roxas offered his thanks, staring at the floor as he spoke the words. Not when he listened to Ansem's apology, remaining still as a statue, blank-faced, and silent throughout. Apparently Roxas chose to handle the internal conflict of his justifiable anger and his gratitude by avoiding eye contact and keeping his distance.
If that was what Roxas wished, then Ansem would accept it.
"Good morning," said Lea, slowly pushing himself up. "Did you come back for some more light reading?"
Raising an eyebrow, Ansem said, "I am assuming that means that you were awake at some point last night."
"Maybe slightly. But I'm wondering why you're waking me up now." Pushing the blanket down a little, Lea said, "I was rather comfy."
"While they used several powerful potions and healing spells on you yesterday, I thought it would be prudent to check on the condition of your injuries. At a minimum, some of the bandages might be in need of changing."
"I'm fine," he said, though the rainbow of bruises told a different story.
"Axel," said Xion, shuffling off the bed even as she glared at him. "You're hurt."
Chuckling quietly, Lea said, "All right. I'll let him look me over. How about you two go get cleaned up? I'm sure there's a couple showers around here. Kairi could probably help sort everything out. She's smart and is usually on top of things."
"She and Sora were in the kitchen when I last saw them," said Ansem. "From what I gathered, they intended to prepare some breakfast. Though Sora seemed to be splattering a surprising number of eggs in the process."
"There. You see? You can get a couple showers and something to eat while I get a quick check-up," said Lea with a slight smile towards the kids.
Shifting uneasily, Roxas asked, "You sure you'll be all right?"
Ansem could read between the lines. Roxas was asking if he would be all right alone with Ansem. Despite being thankful for his help and even asking for that help in the first place, Roxas still didn't completely trust Ansem. Perhaps that unease would never truly fade. He wouldn't blame Roxas. Not after everything that had happened.
"Just make sure you save me some food," said Lea. "I'll meet you down there later."
The children hesitated a moment longer, exchanging uncomfortable looks. Then Xion slipped her hand into Roxas's and pulled gently. Then, giving Lea one last look, the two children reluctantly left.
Lea watched them leave the room, something briefly flashing across his expression. As if he was having second thoughts about letting Roxas and Xion leave his sight. Then the look was gone. A confident smile returned to his face as Lea pushed himself to the edge of the bed, his legs dangling off.
"Let's get this over with then," said Lea.
Nodding briefly, Ansem reached for bandages and asked, "How are you feeling?"
"A little sore, but I've felt worse."
While specific injuries had thicker layers of bandages, they had wrapped his entire torso with gauze in order to protect and stabilize the damage. So before he could properly examine them and see how they were healing, Ansem needed to unwind the outer layers.
"Do you remember what happened yesterday?" he asked. "Do you remember much of what occurred?"
"Let's see. Fought some Heartless and Nobodies. Fought Marluxia and Larxene. Fought Xemnas."
Stiffening briefly, Ansem asked, "Xemnas was here?"
"Not for very long. He kept the visit surprisingly short. He insulted me, I pointed out that he's a loser, he tried to offer a deal, I tried to attack him, he shot a few hundred lasers at me… You know. Pretty typical."
Lea tried to shrug casually, but winced part way through the gesture. Ansem finished pulling away the outer layers of gauze and paused to decide which of the more serious injuries to inspect first. After a moment, he chose the long cut along his left side.
"Then I ended up getting stabbed," continued Lea. "And after that, I passed out and had some weird dreams."
"You're lucky to be alive." Ansem glanced briefly at the thicker bandages on Lea's chest. "Those blades caused some rather grave injuries."
Hesitating slightly, Lea said, "The kids mentioned something like that."
"You could have died," he said gently. "If Donald didn't use Curaza on you in time, we would not be having this conversation."
"Not the first time that's happened to me."
Eyes dropping briefly, Ansem said, "No. I suppose it wasn't."
He remembered speaking with his apprentices briefly upon his return, touching on the delicate subject of their return to humanity. Apparently they carried the injuries that ended their existences as Nobodies when they awoke with their restored hearts, the damage generally healed to non-lethal levels. Not surprising when the Nobodies shared the same bodies as the originals.
Ansem remembered the way that Ienzo rubbed his throat uneasily as he described in vague terms what happened. He remembered Aeleus mentioning a scar from Riku's sword, the teenage boy not yet having reclaimed his ability to use a Keyblade. And he remembered the description they gave of the partially-healed burns on Even that left him weak and fragile after being recompleted, eventually becoming raised red scar tissue that covered a large portion of his chest and his back from where the fire burned Even from the inside out.
Ansem saw similar burn scars on Lea's chest, almost a starburst pattern on his sternum. Even if he didn't have the talent for magic that some did, Ansem understood many of the basics. It was harder to burn yourself with your own conjured fire, but there were a few circumstances. Using too much power. Being too tired or weak to control what you created. Using too much of yourself to power the spell. Or purposefully turning it on yourself.
But his suspicions on what destroyed Axel lay with a different old injury. A wide, rough, and discolored scar wrapped around Lea's right side near the bottom of his ribcage. On the opposite side and lower than the one that Ansem was currently examining. While the new cut was shallow enough that it was essentially healed by now, the old one had clearly been a deep wound. Like something tried to slice him in half from the side, a sharp and thick blade that would have gone in at least six inches. The scar ran slightly further in the front than the back. If the blade was swung into him, Ansem would suspect it came from behind or else the angle would have been awkward. He could only imagine the damage that it did originally.
Noticing Ansem's gaze, Lea said, "Nah. That didn't kill me. It hurt, but that wasn't what got me."
"Would it be too personal to inquire what happened?"
"Not much of a story," he said after a moment of hesitation as Ansem reached around for the bandages on Lea's back. Perhaps not having to meet the older man's eyes would make the explanation easier. "Kidnapped Kairi, lost her, found her, lost her again. Then Saïx had her and they stuck her in the castle. At that point… Does it count as kidnapping her again if I was trying to get Kairi back from someone who kidnapped her from my kidnapping or does it end up circling around to rescuing?"
"I suppose it depends on your intentions at that point," said Ansem, pulling away the gauze from the young man's back.
While the diagonal cut remained red and unpleasant-looking, it seemed to be scabbed over enough that the injury shouldn't need fresh bandages. If it left a scar, it should be a thin and faint one.
"Well, my kidnapping rescue attempt didn't go smoothly. I didn't make it close to where they locked her up before… Before they stopped me the hard way and I had to retreat. Nobodies are a bit sturdier, so it didn't kill me immediately and I managed to pour a few potions into the wound. Of course, Sora came charging through Betwixt and Between while I was still trying to catch my breath and I had to save his neck. That's what took me out. I didn't have the energy to spare after my earlier encounter and I ended up burning myself out. Literally. Fire exploding everywhere."
Which explained the burn scars on his chest. Though Ansem suspected that if using up all his energy in an uncontrolled fiery explosion didn't end the Nobody, the previous wound would have likely done the job eventually.
"And if you could, don't tell Kairi about that whole mess." Lea grimaced slightly as he continued, "I know how she'll react. She'll blame herself. Even though I'm the one who kidnapped her in the first place. In fact, just don't tell any of the kids. They don't need to hear about what happened before I ran into Sora in Betwixt and Between."
"At least you didn't experience the same fate this time," said Ansem. "Most of your injuries seem to be healing nicely."
Only the worst ones left. Taking the gauze off Lea's chest was a little more difficult, the discolored bandages sticking and causing the patient to inhale slightly as they pulled away. But Ansem's efforts exposed the four deepest cuts and the still-dark bruising. It would be too much to hope that the damage would be gone, but at least the injuries were improving. No sign of infection, which made sense considering how many healing spells and potions were applied, and the cuts weren't seriously bleeding. Only seeping slightly after he pulled away the bandages.
"Ouch," muttered Lea, eyeing the damage.
"Considering that one of the knives hit your physical heart, this seems to be healing well," he said. Cleaning the cuts, pouring another hi-potion on, and applying fresh gauze, Ansem continued, "The lacerations should be nearly gone within a day or two at this rate. But the ribs… Well, there's only so much I can assess from an external examination when it comes to the internal damage. Would you be willing to come down to the lab so that I can attempt a more accurate examination of the injury?"
"No," said Lea, a little too fast and forceful.
Nodding slowly, Ansem said, "Then I'll give you my best diagnosis based on what I can see. Please bear in mind that I do not specialize in the condition of the human body. That was always Even's strength."
Since he couldn't use technology to aid him, that left Ansem with only what he could detect externally. Perhaps it would have been wiser to see if there were any medical doctors within Radiant Garden who would be willing to aid them. But he didn't know how he would go about locating such a person and even attempting such a thing would reveal his return. Ansem wasn't quite ready to face the rest of the population of his home world after everything that happened. Perhaps he didn't plunge the world into darkness, but he laid the foundation of that disaster in place. He would face judgment for his crimes and failures someday. It was only right. But he needed to wait until the current crisis had passed and he had done everything possible to atone.
Besides, if Lea was uneasy going down to the lab to examine how the internal damage was healing, there was a decent chance that he would be equally uncomfortable with seeking out the assistance of a stranger.
Checking his pulse was less stressful this time. Ansem could feel the heartbeat, steady and even. Not the weak and fragile thing that he felt before. Nor the silent stillness during that brief moment where death nearly claimed the young man. He pressed lightly along the ribs, not feeling anything out of place or giving under the careful pressure. Lea hissed as he touched one spot close to the cuts, but mostly bore the examination quietly.
"Any trouble breathing?" asked Ansem.
Shaking his head slowly, Lea said, "Not since I woke up. Like I told you. Everything is a bit sore, but I'm fine."
"I have to check. The knives damaged a couple of your ribs, punctured a lung, and grazed your physical heart. None of those injuries should be taken lightly."
"Oh…" Lea blinked a few times, looking uncomfortable. "Right. Roxas and Xion mentioned that I… I stopped breathing."
"For a moment or two, your body had no breath nor heartbeat. I did not exaggerate when I claimed that you are lucky to be alive. I was uncertain for a while that you would survive even with the healing spells."
After a few uncomfortable seconds of silence, Lea coughed awkwardly and said, "Yeah, well… I'm tougher to get rid of than that."
"Indeed," said Ansem. "And you're a courageous young man. I know that this happened while protecting Roxas and Xion. What you did required bravery and a strong will. Even if it also lacked a certain amount of self-preservation and regard for your own life that is a bit distressing."
"In my defense, I wasn't crazy enough to fling myself in the line of fire as a human shield. I was trying to push them out of the way and just didn't get clear myself in time."
Lea shifted slightly, causing him to wince. Even if the injuries were healing nicely, he would probably remain sore for a little longer. The ribs were still bruised or possibly fractured. The exact extent of the remaining damage depended on how effective King Mickey's Healing Light proved to be. Bones always took the longest to recover. But regardless, they were improving.
"Without magic, I would have predicted at least a month for the ribs to heal completely. But with all the spells they've used on you…. Perhaps a week? Maybe a little more or a little less."
"I doubt that Xehanort and the others will wait that long. And I'm not sitting this one out. But I've fought in worse states," said Lea.
"Then I at least recommend taking it easy for the rest of the day. Nothing strenuous at all. Try to rest as much as possible today. Give your body a chance to recover." Ansem stepped away briefly to pick up the black coat and handed it over to Lea. "And are you certain that you don't want a more thorough examination? The equipment is waiting in the lab and it wouldn't take long to activate the systems."
Wincing as he slipped one arm into the sleeve, Lea said, "Nah." After pulling on the other sleeve, he added quietly, "It's not exactly my favorite place." With the coat back in place, the worst of his injuries were hidden from sight. He stood up slowly and said, "Besides, I need to track down the kids and some breakfast."
"I can't believe that you can cook all of this," said Kairi, gesturing towards the dishes scattered along the table, "but you can't crack an egg."
"Come on." Sora laughed even as he complained, too happy to be with all of his best friends again to really care about her teasing. "It's harder than it looks. Even with Little Chef's help learning how to cook and bake and stuff, I can't master everything."
"You can flambé, but not crack an egg," said Riku, not quite hiding his smile.
Sora grinned as they started passing around the food. Granted, most of the dishes were actually intended to be desserts rather than healthy breakfast foods, but most of Little Chef's recipes were intended for fancy dinners. At least the baked sweets could theoretically be considered something for breakfast. And he did include some of the fruit-based dishes. Those were healthy, right?
The formal dining room did make his slightly uncomfortable though. Not because of the fanciness or anything like that. Sora recognized the location as a transformed version of the chamber in Hollow Bastion that once housed the manufactured Keyhole. It barely resembled the room, the machinery and thick pipes long gone and the entire space now bright and airy. The walls were white with gold filigree adding a decorative touch to the space, the long table built out of a dark wood took up a large chunk of the floor space, and the paintings of different parts of Radiant Garden lined the walls. It was beautiful.
But Sora knew it was the same place. It was where the Keyhole was created with the hearts of the seven Princess of Heart. And where he fought a possessed Riku. And where Sora returned Kairi's heart. It was where Sora became a Heartless and inadvertently created both Roxas and Naminé.
But if his friends didn't notice where they were, Sora wouldn't mention it. They would have a nice breakfast together. With all of his friends.
Well, several of his friends. Aqua and Ventus had claimed one end of the table, the young woman smiling at him despite the slight circles under her eyes suggesting that she didn't sleep well. She was also pushing some of the fruit dishes towards Ventus. Donald was practically inhaling the food in front of him, the chairs next to him occupied by Goofy and King Mickey. Riku and Kairi were next to Sora, helping him set the table.
Sora knew that he wasn't quite as talented as Little Chef when it came to cooking. But he liked to think that he had a knack for picking up new skills. And after letting Little Chef use his hands to cook dozens of times, Sora knew how to do it on his own.
But he still tended to be too rough with the eggs.
"Good morning?"
Sora's head twisted around at the greeting. Xion waved shyly as she and Roxas stepped into the room. They still wore their black coats, raising the question of whether or not they actually possessed other clothes, but their wet hair suggested that they'd found the showers. And while Roxas kept glancing at Ventus uneasily, he and Xion looked less tense than the night before.
That must mean that Lea was doing better.
"Do you want to join us for breakfast?" asked Sora with a grin.
Gesturing towards a few empty chairs, Kairi said, "We have plenty of food. Just pick out whatever you want."
"Thank you," said Roxas awkwardly.
"For everything." Xion rubbed her arm briefly before slipping into her seat. "You've done so much. For all of us. I never thought that I… I would be here."
His smile a little guilty, Riku said, "You deserve to be here. And we were happy to help you both. That's what friends do."
"You barely know me," said Roxas. "And the last time we saw each other, I think I broke your wrist."
"You broke his wrist?" Xion stared at him. "Why?"
"I was angry and he was trying to stop me. And I won that fight," he said.
"You hurt my wrist. I never said you broke it. And I don't think you won that. Which of us ended up unconscious at the end?" asked Riku.
"Because you cheated. And that wrist was definitely broken."
"Hey, save the rematch until after we're done with Xehanort and his crazy scheme," said Lea, stepping into the room.
Her face lighting up with surprise and delight, Kairi yelled, "Axel! You're awake!"
She launched herself up from the table and ran across the room, moving a lot faster than she ever did when they were kids racing on the beach. She'd picked up some speed over the last couple years. Sora recognized one of her incoming tackle hugs. But Kairi abruptly stopped in front of Lea, stumbling slightly with a panicked expression, before wrapping her arms around him in a far gentler embrace.
Smirking slightly, Lea patted her back and asked, "Miss me already?"
The sound that she made was somewhere between a chuckle and a sob. And while Kairi was grinning when she pulled back, her eyes were a little shiny and wet. Then, without warning, she smacked his arm.
"Ow," said Lea in a deadpan tone.
"You jerk. You promised that you would be fine." Kairi hugged him again and said in a wavering voice that made Sora's chest ache, "You promised."
"I am fine. A little sore, but alive and apparently being hit by a Princess of Heart. How did you manage to find one of the few spots without a bruise?" he asked, reaching up to ruffle her hair slightly. She tried to duck out of reach without letting go. "But I did keep my promise. Despite Larxene, Marluxia, and even Xemnas trying their best, I didn't get myself killed."
"Wait, Xemnas showed up?" asked Sora.
"He didn't stay long," he said as Kairi let go and stepped back. "Only some minor monologuing."
They headed over to the table to join the others. Lea claimed a chair next to Roxas and Xion, the pair already smiling at him expectantly. Sora noticed that he moved a little stiffly as he slowly sat down, but he seemed happy enough to reach for the closest plate.
After staring at Lea the entire time with a confused and thoughtful expression, Ventus's eyes suddenly widened and he said, "Wait… Lea?"
Ventus technically knew that he'd been asleep for a decade. It just hadn't really sank in properly yet. And it was easy to forget sometimes. A lot of the people around him were new friends. Others like Mickey hadn't aged enough to be noticeable beyond having more confidence and maybe maturity. And Aqua looked exactly like she did the last time he saw her. Combine all that together and it wasn't surprising how easy it was to forget how much could change during the time that he was asleep.
But when the tall red-haired main in a long black coat walked into the room, Ventuas was hit by a strange feeling of déjà vu. He knew him. The longer that Ventus stared at him, the more that familiarity gnawed at him. But he couldn't seem to place how he knew the man. Even the girl, Kairi, calling him "Axel" didn't clarify things.
And suddenly, it hit him. Like being struck by a Thunder spell. For a brief moment, Ventus didn't see the man gingerly settling into a chair. He saw a red-headed teenager near his own age with a yellow bandana around his neck and a couple frisbees in his hands.
"Wait…," said Ventus slowly. "Lea?"
He stiffened before turning his head towards Ventus. He looked a little startled.
"You… you remember me?"
He didn't sound like he could believe it. Like the idea that Ventus could remember someone from a couple weeks ago was completely stunning. Which was a little weird since his memory wasn't that bad—
No, wait. Not a few weeks. It had been years. About a decade or more. Ventus needed to remember that.
But even that amount of time wouldn't be enough for Ventus to forget.
"Of course I remember you," said Ventus. "We're friends."
Lea smiled slightly as he ducked his face down, scratching the back of his head. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he turned and gestured towards the similarly-dressed teenagers next to him.
"Right. Ven? These are my best friends, Roxas and Xion," he introduced. "Guys? This is Ventus."
Grinning, he said, "Call me 'Ven.' And this is my friend, Aqua."
"I'm glad that we can be properly introduced," said Aqua.
Both of the strangely-dressed teenagers nodded politely, but they looked a little uncomfortable. The boy looked frustrated, like he wanted to say something sharp and was forcing himself to remain silent. Ventus found him to be a little eerie. The similarities between Sora and Vanitas was unnerving enough. But Roxas was like staring into a mirror.
"You were the other heart inside Sora," said Xion quietly. "I think I remember… a little?"
"It's strange." Aqua tilted her head slightly. "I am still not quite certain that I fully understand about Nobodies and how either of you came to be, even after the explanations."
"To be fair, Roxas and Xion were rather unique cases," said Mickey.
"But I do not understand why Roxas resembles Ven so strongly," she continued.
Nodding, Ventus said, "We could practically be twins."
While Ventus contemplated the possibilities of the practical jokes that they could pull by simply trading clothes, the uncomfortable expression on Roxas's face shifted to one of confusion. A look mirrored by Xion. The pair exchanged brief frowns, silently questioning each other. Then they both turned towards Lea.
Speaking in unison, Roxas and Xion asked, "Axel, what are 'twins'?"
The question startled Lea into a bark of laughter, one followed by some quieter chuckles and rapid blinking. His eyes looked a little shiny even as his shoulder shook slightly from his laughter. The sound wasn't a fully happy chuckle, but something a bit more complicated. There was happiness in the noise, however. But eventually, the laughter ended and a wistful smile spread across his face.
"I'm sorry," he said finally. "I… I didn't realize how much I missed this." Lea coughed briefly before he continued. "Twins are siblings who are born at the same time. Sometimes they look alike, but not always. And before you ask, siblings are usually people who share the same parents. Siblings, like brothers and sisters, are usually raised together. Older siblings usually try to help watch out for the younger ones and keep them out of trouble. The good ones do, at least."
The two of them nodded thoughtfully at his careful explanations. They both seemed more relaxed as they listened to their friend speak. Like it was something normal when very little around them was familiar.
"And," asked Roxas slowly, "what are parents?"
That question caused most of the people around them to wince or cringe. How could they not know what parents were? Even with Ventus's spotty memories of anything before his arrival at the Land of Departure, he knew what parents were. What kind of upbringing would result in a teenager not knowing about parents?
"Parents, like mothers and fathers, are the people who raise you," explained Lea slowly. He sounded a little more awkward and hesitant with this explanation. "Some kids are raised by the people they are born to, but some parents aren't technically related to them. Families are complicated like that. But yeah, basically parents are adults who raise kids. Parents take care of them, teach them, keep them safe, and love them." Frowning briefly with a distant expression, he shook his head and said, "Some people are better parents than others."
"Oh." Xion's brow furrowed with thought. After a moment, she asked, "Does that… make you our parent?"
His expression lighting up, Roxas said, "She's right. That sounds like you."
Ventus struggled to smother his laughter at Lea's wide-eyed stunned expression. Others were less successful at keeping quiet. Someone let out an actual squawk. Lea mostly looked mildly panicked as he stared at them.
"What? Come on. I'm not your parent. I mean, I'll admit it, I did have to teach Roxas how to eat, how to talk in full sentences, and how to stop acting like a zombie. And I answered all of your questions about everything. And I kept trying to keep you two out of trouble when Xion had problems with her Keyblade or when Saïx was being an idiot or—" Lea broke off suddenly, burying his face in his hands before dropping his head on the table. His voice partially muffled, Lea groaned, "I am a dad. How did that happen? Who thought this was a good idea? What about me screams 'role model' to anyone?"
Roxas and Xion gently patted his back sympathetically while Kairi giggled at his antics. After a couple minutes, Lea's shoulders started shaking again with quiet laughter. It was abruptly easy for Ventus to picture the outgoing teenager that he met a decade ago in Radiant Garden. Maybe things hadn't changed that much after all.
"If it makes you feel better, I've always questioned who in Organization XIII thought it was a good idea to put you in charge of watching them too." Riku crossed his arms with a smirk. "Though I suppose none of the others would make good babysitters either."
"I don't know if you're their father or guardian or simply best friends," said Sora, "but I think you're doing a great job helping them, Axel."
Raising his head slightly, Lea said, "Uh-huh. And when was the last time any of you visited your families?"
Sora and Kairi ducked their heads in embarrassment while Riku glanced to the side awkwardly. Goofy chuckled briefly before patting Sora's shoulder.
"And before I forget," said Lea, his expression briefly turning serious, "I apparently need to talk to Donald Duck."
Eyeing him suspiciously, Donald asked, "Yeah?"
Nodding towards him, Lea said, "Thanks." Then, looking away, he muttered awkwardly, "For saving me and everything."
Looking equally uncomfortable and awkward, Donald glared down stubbornly at his plate and grumbled, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just eat your breakfast."
Lea reached for one of the warm crepe suzettes that Sora made. A bit sweet for a breakfast food and Aqua already scolded Ventus not to eat too many when there were plenty of food options with fruits, but they were absolutely delicious. Maybe Ventus could sneak away a few for later. Assuming that Lea didn't eat them all.
Or, judging by how Lea moved a couple crepe suzettes to their plates, Roxas and Xion might eat the rest of them.
"Can we ask one more question?" asked Xion right before taking a small bite.
Lea nodded and said, "Always."
"You mentioned something earlier," she said. "What are families?"
"Yeah, you said something about them when you were talking about mothers, fathers, parents, brothers, sisters, and everything," added Roxas. "Are families like those?"
"Kind of," said Sora. "Parents and siblings are part of a family. And so are grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles…"
He trailed off as Roxas and Xion's faces grew more and more confused. Aqua gave them a sad look.
"Families are complicated." Lea sighed tiredly, dragging a hand briefly through his hair. "But basically, families are close groups of people who care about each other. Real families love each other, take care of each other, and even if they occasionally fight and argue, they know that they can always depend on each other."
"How is that different from best friends?" asked Roxas.
"In a lot of cases, family members are related. And yes, immediate family members tend to be your parents and maybe your siblings. But sometimes the people that you're related to don't act like family and you end up making a new family from other people in your life," he explained slowly. "For example, you might end up with someone who is practically like an older brother in every way except sharing the same parents. Families are complicated and sometimes the line between the closest best friends and family can get a little fuzzy. But what makes people family with each other is the emotions involved. It depends on how you feel about each other."
Pausing a moment, Xion said, "If it depends on how you feel about each other, I guess that's why they didn't talk about families in Organization XIII. But having a family sounds nice."
"I still don't understand the difference between a family and best friends," said Roxas. "They still sound like the same thing."
Glancing over at Aqua, Ventus said, "Sometimes they are."
Okay, while this story is mostly depending on the games, there is one bit from the manga that I'm adapting into this. Because in the game, when Axel shows up to help Sora in Betwixt and Between, you can tell that he's already in bad shape. As he fights, he's slow and sluggish. He pauses between each attack, head and shoulders slumped in exhaustion. Everything about his fight animation in that part of the game tells you that Axel is on his last legs.
The manga gives an explanation for why. Before Sora reaches Betwixt and Between, Axel tried to retrieve Kairi from the castle himself. Unfortunately, his attempt was foiled by Saïx. There was a fight and, in the manga, Saïx manages to attack Axel from behind… and his huge blade slices deeply into Axel's side. Like it made it a third of the way through his body. Axel manages to barely retreat through a dark corridor and is in bad shape. Not long after, Sora goes charging through Betwixt and Between. Which is where we get Axel's sacrifice.
I'm adapting a version of that sequence of events into backstory for this fic because it serves as a good explanation for Axel's condition during that fight scene in the game. But unlike in the manga, he didn't get close enough to Kairi's prison cell for her to witness Axel's attempt to get her back and his injury. She had no idea that he tried to rescue/kidnap her back and was nearly sliced in half as a result.
Anyway, I hope that you liked the chapter. And remember, I enjoy hearing feedback.