It has been so long, 2 years and 7 months ago since last update? Been distracted with KHR, now I'm back to KH. Since I updated 'Saving', I've seen that not too many people were into KH now as they did years ago, maybe it's just my story? I'd still try to finish this story though, and surely will draw doujinshi for this story, since doujin is at least what I believe I do better than writing.
Please note I've made some major changes in the stories. My bad, when I re-read the whole thing and I couldn't recall all of which I was heading from the previous chapters, so I changed it around a little. You don't need to re-read the whole thing, I've summarized those points at the end note.
Anyone reading? Anyone at all?
Special Thanks: KrystalSara for beta-read.
Chapter 6 The New Light
It was almost midnight. In his given room, Sora sat on his makeshift bed with knees tucked to his chest in utter silence. He had been thinking things through for the past hour.
Did he know Riku?
His mind sprung up a 'no' and he didn't want to think about thatperpetrator for a second, but Kairi had his head spinning with thoughts. Besides, Sora didn't know why his head kept playing the image of Riku. The picture of his pained face after that night, the remorse filled atmosphere around him, and his voice that sounded so crushed. Why those things should nagged him so? Sora hated him, angered him so.
When Sora thought about it, there was this weird feelings tugging at the back of his mind. After arriving at Hollow Bastion, a part of his memory seemed to be in a mess.
He drew his legs up, wrapping his arms around them and rested his chin on it. 'Ifhedidknowme,whydidn'thesaysomethingaboutit?'
"Urg," Sora groaned when realization hit him. "Why should I think about him at all!" Convinced at that resolution, he threw himself down the mattress and tried to escape into the slumber land.
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In the morning that followed, at Hollow Bastion's High School, Kairi found Riku alone in his classroom, sitting and staring off into space. She walked up to him and took the seat in front of him like usual.
"If you knew Sora, how come you never mentioned about him?" Kairi started without her eyes regarding him, her tone clipped.
Riku's eyes turned to gape at her for a while. Not answering her question, he instead stated, "I'm surprised you'd still talk to me."
Then it was Kairi's turn to gape at him, even longer than he did. The girl turned at him fully and said, "Look, Riku. What you did to Sora is wrong, yes. But I've known you for years. I've seen how many people you've saved, how you help Leon with his case even when it isn't your job at all, how many times you've protected me and Selphie, and just anyone in trouble. Your anger for those that attacked me days earlier is as clear." Kairi paused before she pressed the last sentence, "One mistake of yours will not end our friendship just like that. So don't go hating yourself just yet."
A slow smile spread across Riku's features, "I'm relieved." He leaned his face into his hand, elbow on the table. "I'd thought I'd lost both of my best friends."
"Geez, Riku. You're beating yourself over it. I don't remember yelling or cursing you yesterday." Kairi frowned. "Well, you're not losing me…and don't worry, things that happened will stay between us only." She stopped when the boy was looking at her with disbelief, but Kairi brushed it off. She noted that Riku was never this insecure and hard on himself. She immersed in thought before rounding back up to her question, "Well? Why had you never mentioned Sora before?"
At that, Riku turned his gaze back to the opened window, providing nothing but silence. "….."
"You like him?" Kairi tried again, and was surprised to see Riku's usual calm demeanor shifted. The boy eyed her momentarily and nodded then returned to look outside the window. She bent in a little closer, trying to get a look in his eyes. "You love him?'
Riku tore his gaze from the outside world to stare at her with his wide eyes. Seeing the girl was only waiting for an answer, he said with a firm tone in his voice, "Yes."
"Wow," Kairi exclaimed and backed away from leaning, "Never knew you like boys. No wonder you say 'no' to all those girls…wait, I think there are guys after you too and you didn't-"
"Kairi," Riku interjected before she could go too far, "I don't like boys, or girls…I just like Sora."
There was a short span of silence before Riku noticed the look on Kairi's face as if something was dawning on her.
"I think I know now." When Riku quirked an eyebrow at her, she dared, "You wanted to keep Sora all to yourself. You even made it literal by not sharing things about him with anyone, right?"
A dangerous glint ran across Riku's eyes but Kairi was unfazed. At that, Riku closed his eyes, sighed, and slumped back into his chair; a faint smile found his features. "When it comes to this, you really know how my mind works, Kai."
"So you admitted," Kairi grinned a little, and had to remarked, "Wow, Riku. Normally, people wouldn't shut up when they talk about their crush. You're the complete opposite."
Riku shrugged nonchalantly, wearing a same faint smile.
"So…" Kairi trailed off with unsure air about her, fidgeting and looked at her friend in cautious way. "I'm sorry to bring this up. But you…you didhim because you feel for him that much, right?"
Riku was stunned by his friend's bluntness. He was almost mad with Kairi touching the topic, had it not been dawning on him that she only needed to know. Now that Sora was staying with her, instead of with him, which made him as frustrated as he could get, it was still better than any other unknown hands.
Kairi's heart was where it belonged. Yesterday, it was obvious to him that Sora was way better off with her than with him. He had to accept that, as much as it hurts. With Sora as Kairi's savior, she'd do anything she could to help Sora back as well.
"I was…not myself…and so was Sora. Both of us were drugged," Riku said, finding words were somewhat difficult to speak.
"You and Sora were drugged?" Kairi echoed with bewildered look on her face. She pounded her hands against the table, "When were you planning to tell me about this, Riku?"
"Like, right about now?" Riku said, not following Kairi's edginess.
"You lost yourself because of the drugs! Drugs altered mood, right? Drugs are to be blamed!" Kairi pressed.
Underneath her tone Riku had caught something akin to hope, which was when he got it. "I want to believe so. Leon had my blood test and the result said so…"
"That's it! If we told Sora that it's the drugs-"
"Don't tell Sora," Riku cut her off.
"Huh? Why not?" Kairi frowned, her earlier slight excitement gone.
Riku's eyes dropped lower. "It won't change the fact that I hurt him, a side effect of the drugs or not." He lifted his gaze to meet Kairi's. "So don't…Please, Kai."
Kairi's frown dropped into saddened expression, "Oh, Riku."
"And…drugs aside, I was…blinded by jealousy. Obsessive…I admit." Riku buried his face in his hands. "Though I never meant to hurt him, Kai. I really didn't."
"I believe you." Kairi reached out across Riku's table to run her hand over Riku's hair in comforting gesture. "And I believe it was the drugs that made you…do it. I had a feeling that you went through so much more than I know to save Sora from the Black Market, which is all the more reason for me to help you fix this."
"Fix this?" Riku asked, lifting his head from his hand.
"Yes, you and Sora, your childhood best friend who developed into your crush, right? I don't know what I can do, but I'll try, so don't take it too hard on yourself." Seeing the boy's lack of response, she ventured, "Don't tell me you're giving him up, Riku?"
"No way in hell!" Riku blurted, only to realize his action and backed down, doing his best to collect himself. Riku forced a smile, although inside he wasn't sure if things between him and Sora would ever work out. Still, he'd like to die trying.
Kairi was taken aback, then she let out a laugh. Never had she ever seen Riku lost his cool over someone like that. A week ago Riku was still a cocky, arrogant guy, albeit the self righteousness he stood for. Now Kairi realized how a one mistake with Sora could rid Riku of all those bad attitudes that he had for years.
Prior to this, when Riku had his rare, common mistake, he'd easily fixed it and played it off coolly like it was no big deal. Now Kairi noticed all the difference it made to Riku, even in the way he stood, sat, and walked. 'Soramustbethataffectingtohim.'
Riku was truly sorry. It was more than enough for her to hold onto their friendship despite what Riku had done.
….
The school bell rang, marking the end of the day to the students. Kairi had asked Riku to come to the café to explain things to Sora again, but Riku had other plans. "I'll go see Leon…see what I can do to find Sora's brother. That's what Sora wants after all. It's the only way I can atone him." 'And…mypresencewouldonlyhurthim.'
"Oh, all right," Kairi murmured, sure felt for Riku. "Well, I'll talk to him myself then."
"Take care of him, please, Kai." Riku requested.
Kairi blinked at the rare use of the word 'please' coming from Riku, all the more reason for her to accept it. "Of course."
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"Found him?" the police asked as he put his pen down on the table that housed countless papers and documents. He beckoned for Riku to sit on the chair across his table.
He was lucky that Leon was in office today. On normal occasion, the man always had his hands full with works, yet he always managed time for Riku. Riku took the seat while nodding. "Yeah…safe and sound; turned out that he's been with Kairi since he ran away from me."
"You don't look very happy, considering how worried you had been since he was lost;" Leon pointed the obvious and noticed, "What happened to your cheek?"
Riku's shoulder sacked as his hand lingered on his plastered cheek. "Apparently he's still angry at me, this is his handiwork."
"I see," Leon responded and decided not to further question unless the other brought it up himself, which surprisingly, Riku did.
After glancing about, making sure no one was nearby Leon's office, Riku started, "Leon…there's this thing…I want to ask about the drugs that was in my body…I need to be sure," Riku trailed off, fisting over Leon's work table as his glance lowered to it. "Keep this between us…please."
Taking on how sullen Riku had become with the inner battle in those troubled aquamarine orbs, Leon reassured, "I will."
It took Riku minutes to finally confess to Leon what exactly had he doneto Sora. And another half a minute for Leon's bewildered expression to dissolve away and instead started asking Riku questions which led to Riku's confession of his feelings towards Sora. To Riku's surprised, Leon's response towards him was pretty much the same as Kairi's, though Leon was much calmer.
"And what you want to ask me is 'Wasyourmisdeedthedrugs' doing?' is that right?" Leon presumed.
Riku nodded, his head hung low, bangs falling over his guilt stricken face. He'd never been so ashamed in his entire life. It felt bad…so damn bad to bring up that memory. Leon and Kairi were the only ones he'd admit it to, given that they'd need to know, yet they didn't condemn him as he had expected.
"It's hard to say. I don't know much about this Sora, let alone your relationship with him. Yet I know how drugs in Black Market mess with people's brains, feelings, and emotions, even memories." Leon laced his hands together and pointed at the boy. "You realized you've forgotten something in that amount of time too, right?"
"…that Roxas is Sora's brother, yes." Riku nodded weakly. 'Thestupidestthingeverforgotten.'
"Hmm, I'm sure I've known you long and well enough to know what kind of a person you are. So if you asked me, personally and theoretically, I'd say it's the drug's side effect." Leon watched as the boy slowly raised his head up. There was a mixture of emotion in those eyes; a hint of relief, but mostly guilt. Leon knew he needed not say more, Riku was beating himself up maybe way too far.
Leon pushed himself up, walked over to Riku and placed one hand on that slacked shoulder, "It's okay to feel guilty, Riku. I'm not surprised when it comes to your conscience. But don't dwell on it too much. You're just as human like the rest of us that can make terrible mistake. I'm sure you can still set things right." Leon consoled, feeling he'd gone a bit out of his usual behavior. But he felt for Riku. He noted how Riku had changed this much with his attitude. Sora must have meant more than anything to Riku, that much Leon knew that the most important person could change someone.
Riku didn't respond much, not sure if he'd feel any better, at least there was a little relief. He nodded, accepting it and yet his determination grew. "Talking about making it right…I'll have to find this Roxas. Both of them were kidnapped from D.I. Leon, Please help me find him for Sora."
"Of course, Riku."
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Everything was a blur. It unnerved him…the way things were unclear to him. It was just disturbing in more ways than one.
He found himself somewhere in the middle of grayness…not dark or light. Wherewashe?
Sounds of chains and a shuffling of dragged feet filled the empty air. Roxas tensed, turned around in time to become aware of something huge, falling almost on him had he not jerked backward in alarm. When the thing fell, Roxas saw it was human, blood leaking out everywhere around them. The man that he'd killed. He'd felt a sudden weight in his hands. Looking down, the swords were there…and the blood.
He shouted out of fright and ran.
The grayness surrounding him began to take shape and formed into the images of his memory. He saw himself in his parents' funeral. While Sora was crying his heart out until his blue eyes swollen red, Roxas couldn't remember himself crying. Deep down inside of him, his being was half past dead with his own notion that their parents had died because of him despite everyone saying it was an accident.
He never knew he was in denial of the truth that was right in front of his eyes. Days and days of his sullen depression drove him farther on the edge; the darkness closing in on him. He would have let it engulf him with all entireties, allowing himself to pass that border between the world of sanity and what was not had Sora's voice not reached him.
Sora's voice had cut through the darkness around him.
Despite how he had been treating his younger brother for years, Sora still stood by his side. Even more so when Roxas blamed himself for the death of their parents, and Sora knowing how their parents died, never blamed him for it. Sora had cried days and days but stood strong when Roxas failed to do so. Sora was there and unbeknownst to Sora himself, given him what he needed the most…
A second chance.
That was when he swore to look after his brother despite the one sided dislike he felt for his only sibling prior to their parents' death. It was then that they knew they'd be lost without each other. Incomplete, Roxas believed. The death of their parents only had him realize this.
Sora…had been the only thing that kept his sanity together. With each other's presence, they'd pull each other through.
Then he found himself in the sea of darkness. The only sound that filled the air was crying. There were so many of them: men, women, children, all of which their cries were getting on his nerve, save for one that he'd distinguished from all the others. He followed the voice until he came upon a bunch of crouching mess in which he believed was the source of all cries. He felt as if his head was going to explode with it. Yet he stood his ground and kept on searching until his eyes settled upon a brunet boy in fetal position. Without hesitation, he weaved his through a bunch of woes and reached for the brunet's shaking shoulder.
"Sora, what's wrong?" he asked, voiced laced with concern. Never in years since their parents' death, and that one certain circumstance, had he seen his brother cried like this.
The brunet turned, blue eyes wide in realization before he lifted his hand to reach for the person standing in front of him, "Roxas…"
Roxas mirrored his brother, but just as he did so, Sora drew back. Roxas eyes widened as he saw a pair of dark hands and tendrils slithered from the ground and wrapping around his brother, pulling him down into swirling oval shape of darkness. The last image was his brother's sad smile as if he'd resigned to his fate.
'No way, Sora would never…'
Roxas had already reached for Sora yet the oval shape of darkness that Sora sunk into had closed up. He banged his fist, tried to dig his way into it only to find it futile. Around him, the others were still there, woe-ing their hearts out.
When Roxas had to look around and wandered about that fact, he started, "Why? Why, Sora but nobody else?" Once he said that aloud, all suddenly turned to him. They started dragging and crawling themselves up to him with tears in their eyes and plead in their woeful voice. "Roxas, help us."
"Get lost! I don't give a fuck about anyone but Sora!" He shook them off, even kicked some of them off with uncaring light. Then he was on his knees to the spot where he remembered Sora disappeared into. Disregarding the others, he scraped his hands against the spot again, desperate to get his brother back. "Give him back!"
Suddenly the dark ground break opened again in an oval shape. Roxas gasped, yet he didn't hesitate to jump…
Only to be caught by the wrist that broke his jump. Roxas let out a curse and whipped his head to see what it was that stopped him. His eyes looked up and saw…a figure of a lanky man in black coat with his hood on, his hand fastened on one of Roxas's own.
"Dammit, let go!" He demanded, flailing about. While at it, his other hand reached into the abyss of darkness. "Sora!"
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"Sora!" he shot up. The sound of heavy breathing and fast heartbeat drummed in his ears. Sweat dripped down his drenched forehead and his hands shook. His blue eyes looked around, finding himself in some kind of room. Everything was a blur. But one thing that stood out was…
'Red?'
It took Roxas a moment to blink away the blurriness and made out what was in front of him.
"…A…Ax….Axel?"
The man in front of him was still. Jade green eyes looked back at him with concerned expression that Roxas didn't remember the guy having one or being capable of. Then everything came back to him, the kidnapping, the Organization. The splitting, the laugh. 'Great,wakingfromonenightmarejusttofindmyselfstillinanotherone.'
"Hey, you all right, kid?" Axel started, his voice surprisingly soft.
Roxas looked around again, barely made out a room they were in. he was occupying a bed, Axel was sitting in a chair and for the first time since they'd met, he wasn't in the Organization attire, but a casual clothes.
Outside the window, it was noon.
'Hasthisguybeenkeepingvigilovermebeingsick?' His head suddenly hurts and he complained, "Shit, why's everything so blurry?" out the corner of his eyes, he saw Axel's concerned expression doubled. Wasthatevenpossible?
"That's because…Roxas," the other said as he lifted one hand up to brush his knuckle against Roxas's cheek, "You're crying."
Blue eyes widened. He lifted his hand to his face and felt tears on his cheeks. He shoved his back to Axel and got rid of his tears by wiping his sleeves against it. Once done, he took a deep breath but didn't turn back to face Axel. He couldn't, so he remained silence, not knowing how to react until…
"Hey, I can pretend I didn't see that," Came the offer, which surprised both of them when it made Roxas slowly turned to the redhead.
Green eyes blinked as the blue ones just stared at him with the expression Axel never have saw prior to this. Then again, he hadnot expected at all that this kid who seemed to possess that daredevil attitude and managed to hold up for that long would suddenly have a hysterical outburst of laughter, followed by a nervous breakdown and even…cried.
Well…unlike him…the boy seemed to have a heart after all.
"Umm…" Roxas shifted, breaking his contact and casting them on the blanket. "How long had I been out?"
"Three days," Axel supplied.
"That long!" Roxas asked, startled.
Axel nodded, "You went into some kind of coma. No fever and all, which is weird. We thought you might not make it. But here you are…alive again."
"Oh…" Roxas realized and asked, "So what happened after…that? Where are the others?" He looked around again for the third time. "And where are we?"
"With our stronghold shot to hell and our leader missing, we're kind of in the middle of figuring things out." Axel shrugged, nonchalant. "While we're a little lost without, you know, our leader, it's not us to just let it end like this. Zexion, Xigbar, Luxord and Demyx are investigating while they entrusted me the babysitting job." Axel snickered when Roxas made a face. "Dem and Namine still dropped by sometimes. As to our whereabouts, this is my house…well, my bro and I's, to be exact. But he's not home much since he works in town. We're still in the outskirt. But this place is a lot closer to town compared to the Organization's place."
"I see…" Roxas accepted, yet asked, "So…what now?
There was a moment of silence where Axel fell into quite a long, pensive state, looked at Roxas with calculative eyes to which the blond raised his eyebrows, before he spoke, "What now is you need rest. But no more in bed, you've been napping enough." Green eyes darted up, as if thinking, then glanced back to the blond "Are you hungry?" When Roxas shook his head, Axel added, "Still need to eat though before ulcer eats you!"
Axel then got up and sauntered to the wardrobe. He pulled out an article of clothes and put everything needed in the adjacent washroom.
Meanwhile, Roxas out of bed, feeling light-headed when he stood up. Axel was by his side in an instant, catching his arms. Roxas was surprised that he didn't mind the redhead's contact as he was supposed to. 'Urg,Imustbereallyweak.' Not capable of arguing right now, he allowed the redhead to help him walk to the washroom.
"I'm okay now…I guess," Roxas confirmed, half implying that Axel just need to leave the washroom, not just standing there and looking at him!
"You sure, kid?"
There was something in that voice that rendered Roxas unable to even muster a glare. WhyhadAxelbeenmorelikeahumannow?
Was it because of the tears?
Roxas tried to rid of that thought and nodded to the redhead. "Yeah. Now leave already." Another surprise to how his demand was simply a saying that failed to sound cold as it should.
"Call me if you need anything. Oh, and don't try to escape. I'll know," Axel said in cryptic tone before walking out, closing the washroom door behind him.
Roxas exhaled, not that he was in a state for escape attempt anyway. He stilled, caught sight of himself in the mirror above the sink, realizing just what might have had brought about that attitude of Axel was because…"I look like shit." He was emaciated and too pale, Zombie-like, if he had to word it.
'Maybebecauseofthis…everything…andthenightmares…' Recalling the nightmare that was still fresh, his mind reeled. It had felt so real. The dark hands…and Sora. Roxas's throat felt constricted, but soon beat the negative feelings down. He couldn't afford to keel over again, losing days that he'd better expend looking for his brother.
He was well aware of how he felt lost without Sora and it goes without saying that the other twin must have been likewise. He needed to find Sora fast. Now that the Organization seemed to be put to halt, he might have a bigger chance.
Holding onto that determination, he turned to the task at hand, showering. Starting to undo his clothes, he realized he was in a slightly oversized shirt and pants. 'Whotheheckchangedme!'...he rolled his eyes. 'Whoelsecoulditbe?'
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Drying his hair with a given towel, Roxas came out of the bathroom. He took sometime to study the room. ThiswasAxel'sroom?The structure was comprised of brown wood, complete opposite to the Organization's stronghold which held more of a steely texture. Aside from necessities, there were few other items consist of mostly Frisbees and Keffiyeh. And….few books and papers about…Roxas observed closer…"Shinra Conspiracy," "Black Market Conspiracry" and books about weaponry. Upon those, Roxas felt sick and had to turn away.
Drawing back from all of those, he headed to the door. As soon as he pulled it opened, a yell and a loud clanking sound greeted him. Utensils, he assumed. Roxas sauntered across the narrow passage, taking in another room on the second floor, aside from one he had occupied earlier. 'Axel'sbrother's,' he guessed. 'SoAxelhasabrothertoo-'
The house's interior overall was comprised of woods, just like Axel's room. Normal enough, homely even. Roxas couldn't help breathing in the scent of wood a bit. It smelled like the one he and Sora lived in Destiny Island. Roxas lost his line of thought as more clanking sounds came along with strings of he was down the stairs, he turned, head passed the living room and went straight to the source of the noises…and cloud of smoke.
Once stepping into the area of a small kitchen, Roxas cringed at the sight of what reminded him of a war zone. Well, kitchen war zone. The area was covered in a total mess of what seemed to be meat, rice, flour and whatnot. In the middle of it all was a back of a flustered redhead trying to steady a frying pan while stuggling with the smoke erupting from it. And with a flick of his wrist, the content in the pan flew in the air to land gracefully on the dish sitting next to the stove. The motion would have been labeled so aesthetic had it not come down to all the burnt contents of food towering in the plate.
Roxas made a face. What Axel was trying to cook was beyond him. He announced his presence, "I'm so not going to eat that."
The redhead turned with bewildered look which transformed into a sheepish grin that surprised the younger of the two. With that look on his face and without the Organization's attire, Axel looked so…normal…for the lack of better words.
…
Twenty minutes later found them in the living room with a plate of decent hotcakes that seemed deliciously eatable compared to Axel's (which ended up in the very bottom of a garbage bin).
"Wow, Roxas, didn't know you could cook so well," Axel complimented.
"Didn't know you could cook so disastrously," Roxas returned with a flat face while having a bite. "Seriously, I'm surprised you haven't burned yourself or blow up the kitchen. Lucky you that the stove's electronic, not gas."
True enough, they had to immigrate to the living room since the kitchen now was off limit.
"Ouch! That's not cool, Roxas. I tried! I even tried porridge and soup first off since they're more suitable for your condition, but failed. So I guessed hot cakes the last thing I might be able to pull of…which I couldn't." Axel's head dropped slightly after a quick defense. Then lifted back up, looking away, "Sheesh, even hotcake isn't really suitable for your condition. Sorry for not being able to cook. Grr, I should have conveniently bought some instant. But knowing that it's not good for health, and Namine will drop by sometimes and she could cook good food for you-"
Axel's ramble left Roxas in the state of complete dumbstruck that he had to stop eating and gawked at the redhead. How Axel had unexpectedly reminded him of Sora, who couldn't cook and yet tried when it came the time Roxas was sick. How they defended themselves and apologized. And of all the things Axel would cook, it had to be hotcake which was Roxas and Sora's favorite when they were eating together.
WhywasAxelbeingsoki-no,Roxas stomped it down. 'Kind' wouldn'tdo,he wouldn't forget how moron Axel had been on the days prior. Still, Axel was a little different. Whywasheeven…triedtocookfoodforhim?Whyapologizeforthiswhentherewasbiggerthingheshouldconsidermoreonapologizing?Whatbroughtaboutthisattitude?
DoestheOrganizationorAxelstillneedhimforsomething? But none of it would explain why the redhead had to act this way towards him when he had never been thiseasy on him before. This was like Axel in the new light.
"Roxas…"
Said Roxas blinked out of stupor when a hand waving in front of his vision. He looked questioningly at the owner of the hand. "Wha-?"
"For a moment there, I thought you'd gone again," Axel said and jabbed the finger to his head. "You know, up on your own and somewhere in there. Keep thinking to yourself and that little head of yours might explode. Why not let it out? Whatever is going on in there," Axel suggested, gaining a glare by his choice of words, which he joked, "Oh~first glare in three days. Now that you're good enough to glare, I hope you can walk a few miles too?"
Stabbing Axel with a fork seemed tempting, yet Roxas decided against it. At that moment, he'd like to stay away from the sight of blood and gore. Thus, he complied, "Walk…where?"
"Finish eating and I'll tell you," the other grinned.
Roxas could only narrow his eyes and went back to eating which Axel joined after.
"Hmm, delicious. Mind telling me how you'd cook so well?" Axel started. His query was left unanswered for a short moment…before the younger one decided to talk.
"I'm an older brother to a boy who'd cook and end up in disaster like you, that's why." Eyes still casting on the table, not looking at the other, Roxas said. A smile etched on his face, unbeknownst to himself but not overlooked by the other.
"No…parents?" Axel took a wild guess, after having quite some background about the boy from Diz.
The blond shook his head. "Died in accident." His heart clenched. He did learn to move on but he had been able to do so, he believed, only because Sora was with him. Now…he managed to make it day by day, hanging on to thin thread of hope that he'd find Sora again.
A hand placed on the blond head, making Roxas jerked up. He met the concern look in the jaded eyes, which again left him weird feelings in his guts. As much as he wanted to bat that hand away, he was puzzled by his lack of reaction.
"I guess we have something in common then," Axel said, smiling the smile that wasn't a Cheshire grin or any of those sorts that usually prick Roxas's nerve. "My parents died in accident, leaving me and my bigger bro behind too. But due to their work prior to their deaths, we weren't particularly close to them to begin with. So we moved on just as easy."
Roxas "hmph"-ed at that, not knowing what else to say. When Axel drew back his hand, Roxas felt the strange, cold emptiness at the loss of contact, which he made a mental chide to himself.
"Oh, that reminds me. So I guess I can get away with my bad cooking skill or the lack thereof, because I'm a younger bro." Axel laughed, his casual demeanor returned.
Roxas put a fork down, after had had enough of eating, "Is that the reason why you came along when I wanted to find my brother back there? You know…how it feels?" Roxas was all now curious.
Axel cracked a leering smile at that, "Well, you got it half right. I'm sure me and my bro aren't that attached. We barely meet. Both of our jobs undertake fraught with danger and we don't worry much about each other. Perhaps we both know we're not helpless without each other. So I can't really compare us to you brothers and completely understand how you feel."
"Sora is nothelpless, and neither am I," Roxas bit out with defensive air.
"There you go." Axel leaned his chin in one hand, elbowed against the table, another hand pointing at Roxas. "You brothers are sappy. You rather protect and defend for each other, unlike me and my bro who'd kick one another in the back just to have a good laugh." Axel laughed along, earning himself another glare.
"We're not sappy," the boy bit out, his voice took on an edge.
Axel scratched the back of his head, "Whatever you say, kid."
"Stop calling me a kid already!" Roxas growled. He had had enough of that!
"Okay, okay! Sheesh~ anything else?" Axel mocked submission with his palms lifted up.
Roxas perked at that line. Even if Axel had meant it sarcasm, he still talked his thought out loud, "Yes, I'll go look for my brother."
"Okay, got that too-What!"
"When I asked 'whatnow' you said I need rest, right? That means I can take a few more days off without the Organization's job which I believe is on hiatus anyway. Look, I only need to know that he's safe. I'm going to find him and you can't stop me," Roxas said with an absolute air about it, standing up with hands pressed on the table.
"Okay." Axel leaned back in his chair. Getting a disbelieving look the younger boy was giving him, he added. "Do whatever you want until we need you. Just don't forget…" He reached for his pocket and from it, lifted an object to Roxas's sight; a small remote controller. "Lucky I found this among the mess, thought it might come in handy."
The way Axel grin and wagged that object from side to side made Roxas wanted to smash the plate and use the sharp edge of it against Axel. Yet he had to beat it down, again. 'Urg,maybeIhavetoomanyviolentbonesinmybody.'
"Anyway, I'm coming with you." Axel pushed himself up while gathering the finished plates. He caught an annoyed look from the blond, "Have you not memorized yet? I'm your babysitter."
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This time, Roxas took it on good terms with Axel leading him into town since last time he couldn't find Sora on the outskirt.
"Isn't there a police station?" Roxas asked, looking over his shoulder where Axel walked a bit behind him. The taller man had his hood up, wearing sunglass.
Roxas as well, had his hood up but refused to wear the damn sunglass. Axel had claimed their identities should be hidden in absolute secrecy. At least he was thankful that they weren't in Organization's attire. That would have made them even more suspicious.
As of now, Axel seemed jittery, so unlike himself that Roxas had to think, 'Ifhe'dbethatrestless,whydidn'thejuststayhome?'
After scanning around enough, Axel caught up to Roxas with his long strides to answer, "There's one. Although I'm sure they aren't of much help since in H.B., they always have their hands full with every crime this world could come up with. Except…if you knew who exactly to talk to, you might stand a chance."
"I'll take that chance anyway."
Fifteen minutes later found them at the police station. Axel remained outside, claiming again about his supposedly hidden identity. Before leaving Roxas to himself, he provided, "Two things, Roxas. One, you don't tell them you're kidnapped from other worlds. Most of them won't believe you since so many people here hit that false report just to get themselves outta here. Two, if you give away my identity, you'll regret sorely with my hands over the remote controller, "Axel tapped his pocket pant to emphasize the point, causing the knot to Roxas's eyebrow. "So the only thing you can do is to report your missing brother. No giving them away my house address or phone numbers, not that you know of them. You can give them e-mail-"
"E-mail?" Roxas interjected with confused expression.
Axel followed, "You don't know what e-mail is?"
"Heard of, but never used one," Roxas gave a few shakes of head.
Which made Axel wondered, 'heknowshowtocrackpasscodebutdoesn'tknowe-mail?' the redhead found himself rubbed the back of his head again. 'Well,can'tblamethekid.D.I'sisfarfromadvancedtechnology.' "Just give them any name, like Roxas_, we can create an account later on."
"Got it," Roxas turned and walked up the stairs while making a face at Axel's taunting him not knowing what an e-mail was, so he walked right into someone who was running down the stairs and not looking as well.
"Gyah!" the girl's voice rang as Roxas crashed with the smaller body. Both of them managed to remain standing in spite of the bump.
"Sorry! I wasn't looking!" He apologized the girl with short black hair.
"Me too. You all right?" Roxas returned then he heard a yell from somewhere behind.
"Yuffie! Hurry up!"
The young lady perked at the voice calling her. She answered "Coming, Squall!" Then she quickly turned to Roxas, "Gotta go!" and ran off.
Roxas watched her catch up to the man who was in a car. 'Aretheyplainclothespolices?Seemsrushing.' Once they dove off, he returned to his track, ignoring Axel's snicker floating over.
Eight minutes later Axel saw Roxas walked back out. The look on his face gave away the answer, but he asked anyway, "So?"
"Can't believe they always have bunch of missing cases at hands that they wouldn't pay much attention to mine. They just took the name and appearances to go with. I don't think they'd care!" Roxas grouched in frustration.
"Well, what do you expect when they already got their hands full. Police are just never enough here," Axel explained, reckoning the blond might still not get it since he came from D.I. where the service must have been a complete different.
"Screw them, I'll look for Sora on my own," With that Roxas stomped off.
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The more the sky turned darker with every passing minute, the more aggravated Roxas had become.
"Arg! Dammit!" Roxas cursed, punching and kicking one the poor tree standing next to him. "We've been looking everywhere!"
"Well, there are these structures and interiors that we couldn't reach." Axel drawled, curling his fingers in quotation form. "Who knows if your brother might be in one of those high floor mansion or even have a part time job in a flat café."
Roxas shot Axel an annoyed glare. He wasn't up for any kinds of jokes! Still, true enough…H.B. was much bigger than D.I., with more buildings and structures. So far he'd looked most into the Marketplace and Borough which were the town's center. Surely, he couldn't expect Sora to be running around in public place for him to see, right? Sora could be anywhere, sheltering himself from this kind of world.
Axel could only scratch the back of his head while watching the younger boy hunched over, cursed a few more lines, beating himself up a bit…and finally slumped against the tree before his body crumpled to the tree trunk in silence. After a few blink of surprise, Axel rushed in. he knelt beside the small frame and scooped the boy back up to turn him over. He'd anticipated the boy blacking out, but was surprised to see the vacant blue eyes gazing up at him,
"Roxas?" he called , removing the sunglass to observe the boy in his lap clearer.
Empty blue eyes slid closed halfway before they regarded Axel after they seemed like looking right passed him earlier.
"Sheesh, you just beat yourself up until you drained yourself." A dry smile formed on Axel's lips, finding the whole scenario amusing with the young boy raging a moment ago, and collapsed in the next.
"I can't…lose him too," Roxas slurred, eyes drifting solemnly…fighting back tears.
Axel had never been one to sympathize much, save for a few people he'd come to know. But never to some brat he'd just met for a week. Yet this side of Roxas was bothering him, enough to make him do things he never did before.
"Let's head back before you get sick again," Axel suggested as he slid one hand on Roxas's back, the other behind Roxas's knees.
Despite his condition, Roxas was aware to what was coming. He quickly rolled to the side and ended up faced down on the ground with an "Urg!"
Blinking again, Axel just stared at another antic, his arms still outstretched for the failed purpose. He watched the other wobbly got up on his own, dusting himself off a bit. The young boy caught him staring and made a quick turn away.
"I can walk myself," Roxas muttered, dragging himself off.
'WasthatablushIsee?' mused Axel, which further served his interest and amusement for the boy. 'Hewasragingoneminute,collapsingthenext,andregainedhimselfafter' Axel had to hold back his impression. 'Thereisagreatpriderunningthroughthatsmallbody.'
The redhead righted himself and caught up to the smaller boy. Looking at Roxas, there were no more hint of anger, only solemnity and distraction with drooped shoulders and constant sigh. 'Guess,he'dventedeverythingoutonthattree.' "Hey, I'd suggest we go back rest. But since you are still well to walk like that, let's not forget about our hang out."
Paused in his stride, Roxas looked up at the other in bafflement. "Hang out?"
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Up on the high construction of the clock tower, Axel and roxas sat on the parapet edge, feet dangling against the vertical wall. The huge hands of the clock were still, having been death and abandoned for far too long. From where they sat, they could over look the town of Hollow Bastien. The sky ahead of them was a mixed of purple and orange with dusk.
"Not the ideal sight to see for this rundown town, but this's the highest we can come to look at the sunset," Axel drawled, pulling his hood off since nobody would see them at this height. Getting no response from the blond, he studied the boy who idly slouched next to him.
'Foralittledevilwhojustthrewatantrumbackthere,hesurenowisironicallymelancholic,' Axel sat himself right next to the boy, with one knee propping up. "Don't go ahead and faint now, you'd fall." He didn't even earn a snap at that, which compelled him to comment, "Humm, after that rashness attitude, now turning into a zombie?" With that, he did stir a little response when Roxas's eyes slanted a look at him, though it didn't last long.
Roxas went back to look at the horizon with an empty sigh.
"Well, let's see if this'll make you feel better." Axel reached for the small bag he'd been carrying for a while and out from it were a small block of ice in light blue color. He held one up to Roxas face who gave a blink at the proffered treat. "Here ya go, the icing on the cake, meaning I ought to treat you something since you joined the Organization. A little too late, but better than never, eh?"
For a moment there, Axel swore Roxas had a look of am-I-in-the-mood-to-be-eating-icescream? on his face. Only shortly after did Roxas accept the treat, having been suffering from dehydration…and Axel's persistence.
Roxas languidly took a bite, he frowned then seconds later, had to blink in surprise. A chuckle came floating from his right. "Taste funny on first bite, yeah? But soon you find it delectable." Seeing the blond head bobbed up and down then continued eating made a smile spread on Axel's face. "It's Sea-Salt ice cream, originated from Twilight Town."
"Twilight Town?" Roxas asked, now looking at Axel.
Hearing the curiosity in Roxas voice, Axel smiled. "Yep. Heard the place is ideal. You been there? Come to think of it, it's close to Destiny Island too."
Blond head nodded. "Yeah, only for a few days though." Roxas recalled the days Hayner, Pence, Olette, his friends who were the exchanged students from Twilight Town, took him and Sora on vacation there. Roxas had wanted to stay there even, but Sora liked Destiny Island, and the only financial support they had was in D.I.
Axel noted if Roxas sank into another zombie mode, doubtless thinking about his life back there, but looked calm enough, he believed it should be the time he reminded him again. "Look, Roxas, about your brother…have you forgotten what Diz had told you?"
Roxas stirred at the subject. He had had enough anger for the day which still solved nothing so far. Better try relying on logics and reasons instead. Now that he was calm enough, he actually recalled, "That Sora was in a safe hand?"
Axel nodded. "Too bad I don't have info on which hand Diz was referring to. But Diz's information had always been accurate. I have high faith in him."
Blue eyes narrowed at that. "Surely you can't expect me to have faith in that old geez as well?"
Laughing at the nickname Roxas called his superior, Axel shook his head. The boy's words still had bites, zombie mode or not. "No, but you said so yourself that Sora is not helpless. Therefore, have some faith in him. He'll be able t pull through and so are you."
Roxas had the utmost baffled expression when regarding Axel, but returned to his ice-cream thoughtfully.
'Havealittlefaithinme,Roxas.It'llbeokay.' Sora's voice rang somewhere in his memory, which seemed far off. He held onto that nevertheless.
"Hang in there, Roxas. Who knows, you might get some news soon from the police," Axel said, while stifled laughter that Roxas had used the account 'Roxas_whatever' exactly like how he sampled. He reached and pat Roxas's head.
Since Roxas had been thrown into this mess, he'd felt he could see things a little clearer and maybe even felt a little…better.
Sure, Axel might have been a pain in the ass on their first meeting, probably under the Superior's watchful eyes. Now that they had a little time off, per se, Axel must have acted on his own account more. Without the Organization's attire, orders or missions and with him looking over his sickness, trying to cook for him, allowing him to look for Sora (minus the threat of the controller-to-his-brain part) and trying to make him feel better…Roxas realized he'd been too quick to anger and judged away, believing everything in this world was wicked.
'Comeon,Roxas.Yougottatryandthinkpositive.' Another memory of Sora surfaced in his mind.
"Axel."
"Yeah?" Axel drew back his hand, thinking that was a warning of some sort, although it didn't look like one.
Roxas looked away, yet his voice came off in most sincere tone. "Thank you."
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Here are some changes and added lines in previous chapters:
-From Xehanort being leader Org 13, it's changed to Diz.
-In the H.B's history that Axel told Roxas, Ansem was the good ruler, but was banished by Xemnas, his apprentice, and that was when the world started to rundown.
-Roxas is the head of school's Kendo club (in D.I), champion of Struggle Battle (in T.T.)
-After the Organization's stronghold was destroy, Zexion said Diz saw the betraying of the other members coming.
-At the end of chapter 5, Organization on bad sides is talking to Hojo that they'll get Roxas and Sora for him in exchange of Mako energy instead of means to travel to other worlds.
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To be continued?