It's late, it's late, it's late. I'm sorry! My laptop for online schooling just came in so I've spent the past two days working with it and COMPLETELY forgot about updating. So, you guys got an extra page in length. I wrote eleven fucking pages, so you're welcome xP hope everyone is enjoying school and I'll talk to you all next week ON TIME! Bye now~

3. Anti-Sora

The disease allows both Sora and Anti-Sora to control my emotions or actions for short periods of time, even if it costs them large amounts of energy. This is known as the "Puppet State".

Slim fingers ran down the bottoms of my feet and I hissed unintentionally, startling the hands away so I could pull my feet closer to my body. There were soft whispers I couldn't hear properly through the thickness of the dark encasing my coherency. Two hands wrapped around my ankles and the slim fingers worked over my feet again. My toes curled and I fought against the human shackles, but I wasn't making any progress. They both went away at once, and I let go of a breath I didn't know I was holding.

I opened my eyes quickly, unable to move. I stared up at a white ceiling that was too close to be of the orphanage and too lit up by morning light to be Namine's. My mouth felt dry and I couldn't remember how to move my body.

"Don't look down, Roxas."

"Don't... look... down?" Me being me, I completely ignored the warning in favor of my curiosity and looked down at myself. Instead of seeing my body, I saw the wisps and tendrils of darkness overlapping and chaining my body down while Shadows climbed up the bed and onto me. One large Shadow sat on top of me, making it hard to breathe. I recognized those dark spikes, those dark gloves, and I knew that that body was on more than one person. The yellow eyes looked up to meet mine and Anti-Sora pounced.

I sat up with a start, my chest expanding and collapsing at an alarming speed. I looked down and saw that my left foot was wrapped up, from the top of my ankle all the way down. It was stiff too.

A splint?

I looked around myself, remembering last night piece by piece. I remembered the redhead, and falling down the stairs, and slapping him, and falling asleep while he changed. Seeing as he wasn't around, I decided to go looking. I had to limp because of my ankle, but it wasn't that much of a hindrance. I made it to the door and pulled it open, peeking out into the hallway. No one was around, so I continued. There were a few other doors around, but all the rooms inside sounded empty. I could hear voices downstairs, anyways.

I reached the steps and took them one at a time, being very careful and aware this time. I could feel Sora around me, but I didn't see him. I guess he just didn't want to be seen right now. It wasn't until I got to the kitchen that I realized why he wasn't with me. He was down here, listening to the conversation between the redhead, a burgundy-haired girl, and a blond-haired girl. When they all turned to look at me, I realized then how deep in trouble I was. The redhead looked miffed, the burgundy-haired girl looked upset, and, well, the blond was actually my sister.

"N-Namine?" I gasped, feeling all my oxygen leave as I spoke.

She turned completely and crossed her arms over her chest. "Roxas, I told you. I told you something was going to happen, did I not?"

I bit the inside of my cheek and let go of a breath. "You did." Why did my voice sound so hoarse?

She dropped the tough act upon hearing my defeat and rushed over to me, pulling me into her arms. I looked over her shoulder at the redheads standing and questioningly cocked an eyebrow. Even though I was confused, I wrapped my arms around Namine and squeezed her. "I'm sorry I scared you."

"Scared me? Roxas, when Kairi and I came over this morning and I saw you... I thought... I thought..." Her voice broke and I could feel her shaking. "I thought you were dead."

I chuckled, but squeezed her reassuringly. "Can't kill me that easy, sis."

"You idiot." She laughed and buried her face in my shoulder. "I'm just glad you're okay." I just let her hug me until she felt secured enough to let go and wipe her tears away bashfully. She clapped her hands together and grinned at me, "Right! You don't know these two."

"He knows me." The man said.

I sneered. "Yeah, you're the prick that-"

"I meant you know my name, you insufferable little twerp." He quipped.

"No I don't! And don't call me a-" Namine jerked on my arm and I stumbled forward to stand next to her. She took the redhead bastard's hand and forced mine on top of his. His hand curled into a fist, and I flinched when I touched his skin. I was always freezing cold, so his warm skin felt a little too hot for me. Was he always so warm?

"Roxas, meet Axel." Namine said with a type of happiness she was trying to secretly shove down our individual throats. "Axel, this is my little brother Roxas."

"Sorry, I got introduced to him as Sora." He glared at me with green fire.

I looked down nervously. "Oh yeah."

"You told him about So-"

I used my free hand to clap it over Namine's mouth. "No, I didn't. Neither of us are going to either, got it? If he isn't around, then we have nothing to worry about." I tried to pull my hand back to my side, but Namine was stubborn and strong.

She just sighed. "Well, this is the boy I was talking about the other day. You know, the one I was helping move in."

I nodded, recollecting that information. "Oh yeah, your boyfriend, right?" I smirked at her, winking teasingly. "Though, I hoped when you got a boyfriend he wouldn't be such a cocky bastard." I yanked my hand off of his when I got the chance and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Roxas, he's not-" Namine started, but Axel cut her off.

He smirked at me and chuckled, stalking closer. "Namine is a really pretty girl, Roxas. But, you know that. She's your sister for crying out loud. And you know what? I probably would date her, but," He stopped right in front of me, leaving little room for either of us to even breathe without brushing the other. I bet he was hoping I'd move away like I was intimidated, but I didn't. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me cower. "I have one small problem." He said quieter, and I watched him move down and closer, closer, closer until he was breathing softly into my ear and it took every strength left in me not to shiver. I didn't want him to know he could affect me.

I looked over his shoulder and met eyes with Sora, who looked like he was in awe. Then, he looked up and disappeared into a million threads of light, combusting in midair. Despite being the umpteenth time I've seen it happen, I was still left stupefied.

Then, Axel finished his sentence in my ear. "I'm gay." He said, and punctuated the sentence with a hard grab of my butt. Not only did the unfamiliar, intimate touch startle me – the feeling of a million strings connected to me being pulled backwards startled me. It was like losing your balance and trying to fall forward. It was as my fist swung all on it's own to make contact with Axel's face did I recognize the sensation: Sora had induced the Puppet State.

"You pervert!" We both yelled with an angry-slash-horrified expression. "Don't touch me!" And the strings broke apart. I was left feeling unaffected, as usual. I never felt anything but a great sense of relief when the connection was broken, but Namine still seemed to know. She gave me a wide-eyed look before rushing forward and crouching down nurse Axel. I looked down at my hand, watched the knuckles turn bluish-purple and shake, and felt the pulse throb inside my hand.

"You okay, Axel?" She asked, gently touching his shoulder.

He laughed. "I think he hurt himself more than he hurt me."

Namine looked up at me. "Roxas, why did you do that?" I knew she asked just because she felt compelled to. She had to put up an act, or else Axel or Kairi would get suspicious.

I watched the burgundy-haired girl rush to her brother's side, check his face, and then smile at him in relief. Her smile was really pretty, like Namine's. I looked back to Namine and rolled my eyes. "Did you not just see him grope me?" I snapped.

She snorted. "Please, Axel gropes everyone. He's just messing with you."

I narrowed my eyes. "But, he is gay, right?"

"Yep." Axel answered instead and propped himself up onto his elbow before rising to his feet.

I curled and uncurled my fist, trying to regain feeling in it. "Well, that just makes it worse. I'm not gay, so lay off." I spat at him, proud I could look him dead in the eye and lie so plainly. I guess it was because I was still so unsure of my sexuality. I've kissed one guy, and it was a dare. Hayner had been my best friend while I was in the orphanage, so it had been very weird. I didn't like it because it was Hayner, my best friend, not because he was a guy. And I have been attracted to guys, but never ever any girls. Olette – another orphan friend of mine – was pretty, so why didn't I want to kiss her? Why is it when I was dared to kiss her I didn't like it because she was a girl, not because it was Olette?

Axel smirked. "Sure thing, kid."

Namine was just staring at me like she didn't know me.

It was the burgundy-haired girl who approached me next with a sweet grin and an outstretched hand. "Sorry about my brother, he's kind of weird. I'm Kairi, his young sister. Namine has told me a lot about you, Roxas." I hesitantly outstretched my hand and Kairi closed the distance. She gripped my hand tightly and shook it. "Oh," She said suddenly and looked down at our hands. "you're shaking." She said, looking back up at me with eyes that were blue with a touch of purple towards the centers. They were bright and happy, and I swear to god if she was boy she would look just like Sora. "You okay, Roxas?"

I just stared at her with this intense feeling that I was dreaming. Dreaming up a nightmare, to be exact. I blinked a few times, willing the feeling away, but it wouldn't leave. That's when I began to recognize the feeling.

"What time is it?" I asked her, my voice hoarse once again and taking a lot of energy to choke out.

"Uh..." Kairi held my hand tightly and looked back at Axel.

He frowned. "Like... ten, ten-thirty. Why? You got somewhere to be?" It sounded like a joke, and I might've taken it like a joke and answered, but I couldn't. The fear of what was behind me was overpowering.

"Roxas?" Kairi asked when she turned back to me. I felt her cool hand touch my forehead, and could do nothing about it. "Roxas, you're burning up."

That's when Namine stood up. "But Roxas is always... I don't know, cool? Cold? Roxas, sweetie, you okay?" She put both her hands on my cheeks and jerked her hands away upon contact with my skin like I actually burned her. I looked her in the eye and I watched them turn into something big. Something that were filled with selfless fear. Fear for me. "Roxas?" She gasped.

I felt a large hand sit on my shoulder and I flinched. My head rolled and I looked at Axel with his flames for hair and green fire eyes. "Roxas? Snap out of it, I was just messing with you." He said with a light laugh, but I could hear desperation under it. He shook my shoulder gently. "Roxas, answer me."

"Roxas?" Kairi.

"Roxas." Axel.

"Roxas! Answer me!" Namine.

My back suddenly became ramrod straight and I felt my eyes go wide. I knew what happened next, because it was the same as it has been since the schizophrenia planted it's seed in my brain. I squeezed Kairi's so tight that I distantly heard her yell at me and try to jerk out of my hold. It didn't matter if I was hurting her now. It didn't last more than a few seconds once I turned around.

I saw him. Anti-Sora, the humanoid figure that twitched and jerked inhumanly against itself and didn't speak and plagued my mind day and night and deluded my thoughts when he was around like I was in some deep depression. He looked around the room in his signature twitchy fashion before locking eyes with me. If he could smile, he probably would've.

He didn't come at me, didn't charge, he just stood there. He was terrific enough, and I didn't have another conscious thought after seeing him.

"Roxas!" Axel shook both my shoulders, trying to pull me out of the pit I had fallen into. Instead, I just fell into him and passed out, cold.

I was getting really tired of passing out. Tired of waking up scared and disoriented. Tired and feeling like something horrible had happened to me before. On more than one occasion, I'd been correct on that assumption. That's why it scared me so much. The only difference is that I didn't wake up all alone this time. I cracked my eyes and Sora sat on the end of the oddly familiar bed twiddling with his thumbs and crossing and uncrossing his legs. I smiled fondly at him, but I felt someone else in the room. I turned my head and spotted Axel leaning against the back wall. His head was bowed and I could hear talking outside the door he was beside. I recognized Namine's voice, and I assumed the other female voice was Kairi.

"Roxas?" I looked up at the call of my name and was happy to see it was Sora. "Roxas, I'm so sorry. I meant to warn you, I meant to... I meant to-"

I smiled at him and shook my head. I pressed a finer to my lips, indicating I had to stay quiet. I felt something slither along my shoulder as I pulled my hand in front of my mouth. I looked down curiously, but was completely caught off guard to feel something strain and tighten around my wrist as I pulled. I was... restrained? Had Namine allowed that? They used to do it all the time in the orphanage during one of my fits, but she always fought them when they did it and would usually face the same punishment. Well, it was never as severe as mine, but I always felt guilty when she was hurt because of me.

So, Namine actually let Axel or Kairi tie me to the bed. Or, had she done it herself? I tugged on them quizzically, testing their strength. These things wouldn't really be able to hold me in a fit. And I knew very well I wasn't in the orphanage anymore. Either way, I felt the anxiety rising like hot water in my chest, slowing sucking out my will to live and my oxygen.

"Roxas, don't struggle or they'll-"

"Hey, you up now?" My head snapped to the left and glared at Axel menacingly. Why was I so mad at him? It wasn't like he was holding anything that would hurt me, like some of the caretakers would. They'd hover above me and start beating me with anything they could get their hands on. Axel was only holding his phone. He slapped a hand against the two and both the girls voices stopped. A minute later, my sister and Kairi emerged and my heart beat seemed to slow a bit. Namine wouldn't let them hurt me. I tried to keep that in mind, but when Kairi started running towards me I couldn't help but yell out, "No! Stop!" and turn my back towards her as much as possible for protection. I couldn't help the flinch that shook me when I felt Namine's hand on my back. I turned back over and stared up at her openly. "You let them... restrain me? Namine, how could you!"

"You were throwing a fit." She said, like that answered everything.

"Then wake me up for Christ's sake! I can't believe you let them... you know that this is what they used to do to me in the-"

"You think I don't know? I fought them every time, Roxas."

"What's going on?" Axel asked as he approached. "Who did what to Roxas?"

"Not now." I bit out when Namine looked at me pleading. "Just untie me, please."

Namine leaned forward to help, but Axel held out a hand and walked over to me. "One sec, can I talk to him alone?" He asked Namine, but she just looked over at me for an answer. He took the hint and looked towards me. "Hey, you're a strong kid. I just don't want to get hurt, okay? I just want to talk to you."

I rolled my eyes and nodded. "Fine."

Kairi hooked an arm through Namine's and led her back out of the room. Axel and I both watched them leave until the door closed. Then, I was just staring at the back of his head. "You wanted to talk?"

"What are you hiding from us?" He asked bluntly, slowing turning back to me.

I blinked at him. "Huh?"

"Kairi and I have done a lot to help the both of you. I want to know what it is that's being kept a secret. Because, from what I can tell, you sure are keeping a lot back." He crossed his arm over his chest and glared down at me.

"That's really personal information, Axel." I said in offense.

He shrugged. "I don't really care, Roxas. Why did you lie to me about your name?" He snapped. "At least answer that question and I'll tell the girls to come back in."

My face scrunched up and I looked over at Sora for help. "Right now, I really wish I could explain everything to you, Axel. Then, you might get a good answer out of me. But I can't because I'm scared, confused, and barely know what's going on for myself. When I told you my name was Sora... it wasn't a total lie. Um, I "lied" because I didn't feel like I could trust you. Honestly, I thought you were going to drag me back here so you could finish what they started privately. I just didn't want you using my name when you did." I turned my face away, almost ashamed to be admitting it to him now that he's housed me and my sister and his sister has fixed me up. "Sorry." I mumbled.

I didn't get an answer, I just got hands around my ankles, gingerly picking at the knots to unbind my feet from the bed. When both my wrists and one foot were undone, Axel left me to get the last one undone while he let our sister back in.

Kairi bounced in and clapped her hands together. "Well, time to discuss a game plan!"

"Game plan?" Axel asked with a cocked eyebrow as all three walked over to me.

"Yeah, like what we're going to do about these two." Kairi said as she wrapped an arm around Namine and smiled at me. "I mean, Namine is fine living where she's living, but Roxas..."

"What about him?" Axel asked, now looking at me also.

"Well, if someone finds out he's living with Namine, they'll both be in trouble." Kairi explained, and my sister and I nodded in agreement. They'd send me back and probably kick Namine out of the apartment. I wouldn't risk that, no matter how willing Namine was. I wouldn't let her end back out on the streets to possibly suffer the fate Axel saved me from.

"Well, then he can just live with me."

The room fell silent.