Disclaimer: don't own much. don't own at all.

Inspired by many, many, many, many collection of namiku arts I've seen in the internet. Namiku rocks.

Thanks to those who support Namiku! You people inspire me!

DOCHIRASAMA…?

By: Warm-Ice

Who are you…?

Nobody…

Chapter 2: REFLECTION

Roxas stared out of the window through the thin white curtains, watching Kairi laugh with her two friends as they toyed with their project. Somehow, he couldn't help but feel a little bitter towards them…towards her.

She was Namine's sister…that was all everybody told him in the beginning. But he wasn't just about to settle for something as lacking as that. He needed to know more if he was going to dedicate his life to protecting her.

At first he had been excited to meet her when he found out Namine's sister chose him. He didn't know anything back then. He didn't know how good she had it while Namine was here—in this wretched place—rotting and dying all alone. He didn't know she was saved from the curse unlike Namine who was given the worst curse of all.

He was angry at her when he found out.

He still is.

He was angry at her for having a wonderful life with a wonderful family while Namine was in pain and alone throughout most of hers. He was angry at her for being able to smile so brightly. He was angry at her…because it was unfair.

"Are you going to stay here the whole day, Roxas?" he looked away from the window, from Kairi and her friends, and turned to the darker part of the room; to where Namine sat, a sketch pad on her lap, a pencil in her dainty hands, and a curious, kind smile on her lips. Anyone who would have seen her at that time would never have guessed what kind of hell she'd experienced…is still experiencing…

"You don't want me to stay?" he asked without any sign of disappointment or anger. It was just a question.

She smiled at him, cocking her head to the side. "You might get bored here." She reasoned.

Closing his eyes, he shook his head no. He opened his eyes to look at her with those sapphire orbs—the exact same color as her own—and said, "I'd rather stay here with you."

Coming closer to her, he stopped to stand in front of her. She watched him as he slowly sat in front of her and smiled. She smiled as well.

"What are you drawing today?" he asked.

"Kairi…" she answered.

He frowned.

"Why?" he asked, hiding the displeasure in his tone.

"Because," she turned back to the drawing, "She's beautiful…"

His frown deepened. There was nothing beautiful about her. In his eyes, she was a spoiled brat. She'd never truly experienced pain and heartache. Not as much as Namine. And yet here she was, getting the special treatment just because she was 'unique'. It was totally unfair.

She turned to him then, with those deep blue eyes. "So are you, Roxas…"

He stared at her for a long while and she stared right back with that smile of hers. Closing his eyes, he sighed and smiled, looking up at her condescendingly. "Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment. But you really shouldn't say that to a guy."

Axel sat in a corner of the room, watching them with his arms folded across his chest, sitting in a chair that gave him a good view of the outside world through the window. But he was not interested in Kairi or her little friends or their little project. He wanted to watch Roxas and the way he smiled to Namine. He wanted to watch Namine and the way she spoke to Roxas.

There they were again: making up their little world of pretend, pretending like they could actually go and live a happy life as long as they were together. It wasn't really something as crude as love. It was a deep friendship—though he could not help but feel a little romance blossoming between them. But that couldn't be helped. They were two unique creatures, sharing the burden of that which they are and that which they are forcefully molded into being.

But still…

He couldn't help but feel just a little twinge of jealousy and protectiveness. Namine was His ward—not Roxas'. He was the one who truly understood her because he was the one who watched her grow up into who she was at that moment. He was the one she always called when she needed someone. He was the one who'd always take her in his arms and tell her everything was gonna be alright.

He looked out the window with a bored look on his face, sighing and propping his chin on his palm and his elbow on his lap.

He really hated times like these; when he would feel so torn between the good Axel and the bad Axel. The good Axel would be glad that those two found each other. The bad Axel would envy Roxas from a corner and think 'if only she were born a few years earlier'.

He should really stop thinking such depressing thoughts.

"What's wrong, Axel?" He could hear Roxas ask with concern.

He didn't even bother to turn around. "I just…hate being stuck inside the whole day …" he half lied. It was half true anyway.

"It's alright, Axel." Roxas went on. "You can go for a while. I'll stay here and keep an eye on Namine."

"I think that's a good idea." Namine said, hoping that the time away from his duty might do Axel some good. She wanted him to have a 'day-off' from his boring job. "Axel can have a day-off with Larxene to the—"

"Pass." Axel interrupted, still looking just as bored. But inside, he was feeling just a little irritated. "I don't wanna go to a dumb artificial place like that." He said, leaning back in his chair, crossing his legs and folding his arms behind his head. "Besides, even if I did want to go there—which I don't—Larxene wouldn't be coming with me anytime soon." She hates me…

"Axel, you should try harder to get along with your sister." Roxas preached.

Trying to cheer himself up, Axel smirked and shook his head. That was exactly what Namine said before. But it was okay. They didn't understand why Larxene hates him. They're just kids, after all.

"I'll stay with Namine." He said, choosing again his own fate. In the end, it was really not Namine who chose him. He chose her. He wanted to stay by her side.

Ugh—there he was again. He really should get a hobby. Something that'd take his mind off of that place.

Turning to look at Namine, he was greeted with a small smile. Slowly, he started to smile as well.

Okay, maybe not.

"I'm gonna go get us some drinks, okay?" Kairi said, turning back towards the house and sprinting to get inside.

"I want apple juice!" Sora yelled to her retreating form.

Kairi giggled at him, thinking how he resembled a kindergartener. She yelled back without turning, "I know! And Riku wants water! I got it!" with that, she entered the house.

Once Kairi was gone, Sora turned back to Riku with that ever present grin. Riku smirked. "The projects about to be finished, Riku. I think we're actually gonna get an A on this one." He enthusiastically proclaimed.

"Don't get your hopes up, Sora." Riku said, leaning back on the grass with his arms and looking up at the clear blue sky. "You might just get disappointed."

"I don't think so." He said seriously, mimicking Riku's position but maintaining his gaze on his feet. "Since it's Kairi's idea…I think it'll be great!" he said, grinning wide at Riku once again.

Riku looked at him and scoffed lightly, hanging his head back and closing his eyes. Sora would always worship the very ground Kairi tread upon. He was so naïve in his thinking that no matter what Kairi would do, he'd still think she was as pure as snow. Kairi never let him down anyway. She cared too much for that goofball. Little miss perfect and the class clown: best friends…How ironic.

"Yeah, maybe." Was all he could say. They stayed that way for a long while, waiting patiently for Kairi up until Sora couldn't take any more.

"How long does it take to get drinks anyway? What's taking her so long?" he said, finally standing up. "Come on, Riku!"

"What? To where?" Riku asked, raising her eyebrow at him. Did Sora actually try to order him around?

"To go find Kairi, of course." He said, starting to walk towards the house.

"Don't be silly, Sora. You hardly even know your way around the house. How do you expect to find her?" But when Riku looked back at Sora, the boy was already opening the door. He shook his head ruefully. "Geez, why do I even try." With that, he ran after his friend into the house they barely knew.

"How about school?" Namine asked.

"What about it?"

"How are you doing there?"

"It's okay, I guess…some kids are always following me around, trying to get me to go out with them. They're so annoying."

"Don't you like them?"

"They're okay kids. I mean they're not into any bad stuff or anything like that but…I just don't want them too close to me…"

"I understand…"

"Besides…He already made me go to school. I won't go anywhere else without you…"

"Roxas…"

"He's not keeping me away from you, Namine."

"So you think He's got this twisted plan to keep you away from her ever since the beginning, is that it?" Axel butted in.

Roxas stared at him for a moment, sitting behind Namine who sat at the head of the table, opposite of him who sat at the other end. Then he smiled softly and shook his head, "I'm not stupid enough not to notice it."

"But you are stupid enough to say it in His house."

"I don't care even if I say it right in His face."

"You'd get punished and thrown into 'that' place! Do you actually want that?" Axel exploded, leaning forward and slamming his hands onto his lap to give force to his words.

"No one would care."

Silence…

"That's not true, Roxas…" Namine finally spoke, saddened by his words. Axel slowly lowered his gaze, shadowing his blazing green orbs from Roxas' eyes because he knew they would show his desperation.

"I do…I care…" Namine said.

You always care, Axel thought.

"And I'm sure Axel cares too…"

And you always understand, he added.

Slowly a smile crept onto Roxas' face. "Really? Axel would?" he joked, laughing boyishly. Axel leaned back in his chair, erasing all emotions from earlier from his face. He scoffed and crossed his arms in front of him.

"Well, it's not like I'd cry or anything." He muttered. Roxas and Namine merely smiled at him.

"Admit it, Sora. We're lost." Riku said, getting tired of seeing the same walls again and again.

"I won't stop until we find Kairi." Sora said. Funny, if it had been anyone else who said that, Riku would have found them annoyingly naïve. But since it was Sora, it just seemed so heroic. Stupid kid.

"Aaaalright…" he said.

They were about to turn a corner when Sora stopped and stared at something Riku didn't know. "What is it?" Riku asked, coming to stand by Sora's side, only to see Kairi standing as still as a statue at a certain room's door. They noticed that Kairi was deathly pale, and her eyes were so blank they looked devoid of life itself. But they didn't notice the light closing of the door in front of her.

"Kairi?" Sora tried, taking a step forward. The boys' eyes widened and for a moment their hearts stopped beating. "KAIRI!" the girl suddenly fainted.

They ran to the girl's fallen form and Riku quickly checked for her pulse. It was weak. "Sora, go find help!" Riku commanded. "I'll stay with Kairi."

"Okay." He said softly before running off to find whoever was there to help. He ran as fast as his legs would let him, yelling out for help to anyone who could hear. "Help! Somebody! Something's wrong with Kairi! Help!"

Just as he was about to pass by a plain white door, it opened. And he stopped to turn to it, only to falter when he saw himself instead. No…that wasn't him…but he looked so much like him…

Roxas stared at Sora for a while, the breathless boy panting while he just stood there calmly. "Help…S…something's…something's wrong with Kairi…"