VI: Qualms

I did nothing as Riku sauntered ever-so coolly out of the police office but snicker, since he'd forgotten to change out of that scandalously short towel and into some decent clothes. He came right back in, snatched the clothes, and went back out looking sane, but severely flustered. Luxord cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Forgoing personal relations, let us focus on who had done the breaking in and vandalizing." He looked between us, as if the blank looks on our faces could tell him anything. "I don't mean to pry, but I feel this case requires such prying. Now, I understand that your family is quite wealthy, correct?"

"Correct," Roxas answered sharply, his eyes narrowing.

"Yes, yes. And I'm under the impression that your family has hired servants for the mundane duties of the little people." The sheriff wasn't asking. His eyebrows were lifted in a knowing, somewhat disconcerting way.

"If you want to put it that way, then that is correct," said Roxas. His eyes were slits by then, boring holes of suspicion in Luxord's own impassive ones. I shifted my weight from foot to foot, becoming unbearably uncomfortable of the envious glares directed our way. I hadn't been confronted by this sort of behavior at school—but that might have been because most of the students were incredibly wealthy, excluding the few geniuses who paid the tuition by scholarships and grants alone.

"Where in the world were they, then, when this break-in took place?" Luxord's curled lips were nearly mocking. We stood there in silence, clearly flabbergasted. We hadn't even stopped to consider that notion. The maids, the butlers, even the chef had been nowhere in sight at the time.

"Sherrif!" one of the officers came running in, his cell-phone held in a vice-like grip. "That woman's on the line…you won't believe this!"

Luxord put the phone on speaker-phone, though I wasn't certain whether or not that was even legal. A blubbering voice came over the line. Luxord asked her to speak clearly and, after a few deep breaths and sobs, the woman begged: "please, please, believe me! I—we—didn't do this. We got a call their mother, oh what a kind woman she is!, letting us off for the day. She didn't explain, and we didn't think to ask…we were so grateful, but now…oh, if only we'd asked! Made sure it was truly her…have you found the culprit yet? Why, if I get my hands on them!..."

I recognized the rambling voice as the kindly, soft-spoken old maid who'd always try to goat me into meeting, and potentially marrying, her daughter. I'd have to explain to her again and again that my preference wasn't for the female variety, but she'd always roll her eyes and claim that I was "just going through one of those phases."

"I'll speak to her, and the other servants. Find their mother and keep them here." Luxord gave us a menacing look, and then disappeared into another office. The officers and deputy left the office and, as we followed them, apologized ruefully, grabbed us by the arms and threw us into a cell, slamming the doors and locking us in.

"What the hell!!" Roxas screeched and slammed against the bars. I simply blinked, too taken-aback to react. I did, however, point out the Roxas that, at least, they had put us in the cleanliest cell. Roxas spun around and glared viciously, then sunk onto the ground.

"I wonder, why did they let Riku go and not us?" I murmured as I sat down next to Roxas. He shrugged and clenched his jaw. I rubbed my temples. "I don't see why we'd vandalize our own home. It's stupid!"

"There's lots of stupid things in this world, Sora. Just deal with them and don't ask questions. It's the best way to get out of situations like this." Roxas was looking away from me, his shoulders scrunched up tensely.

"Roxas, what aren't you telling me?"

Roxas snorted, shaking his head. "You think that we sent you to live with that uptight bum of a father because you're a burden on us? Financially, no, but in other ways…so many ways…" he drifted off. "This isn't the place to discuss things like this. Not that I'd let you in on the plan anyway."

"The plan?"

"You never catch on very quickly, do you?"

I parted my lips to retort, but shut them tight when the sheriff came into view. My mother was beside him, appearing more tired and stressed than she ever had been before. Her meticulously trimmed brows were deeply creased. For the first time in years, she looked worried. Concerned for our well-being, perhaps? That sounded so unlikely, yet I yearned for it to be true.

Luxord, without a word, opened the cell. He didn't bother offering an apology, despite my mother bursting out into tears. "I was so worried, so worried!" She tossed her glamorous purse to the side, came to her knees, and enveloped us into a tight hug.

I cried a little too, although I'm not quite sure why. Maybe it was because her arms were around me, holding me to her in such a loving, motherly way that I could barely remember from all those years ago. I didn't expect her to be so soft and warm—she'd always come off as callous and cold. She smelled sweet, like honeysuckle.

"Okay, can we get over this whole emotional thing?" Roxas growled, growing stiff and unresponsive to our mother's affection. She nodded, sniffed, and gently wiped the tears staining my cheeks and the ones swelling in my eyes. Roxas, I noticed, looked at me with great chagrin. I found this disgruntling, but had no urge to question him of his strange antics ever again. All I could think of was the lingering feeling of sweet, sweet love.

To be continued.

A/N: I know, I know. This chapter was despicably short! But I had this huge stroke of inspiration and felt that where I left off was the best place. Don't fret; the next chapter will be up within a week's time. : ) And then everything will finally start to make more sense…