A/N: Yes! Chapter 4 is done! Thank you everyone for putting my fanfic on your alerts or favorites section, and thanks for reviewing!
()- Thanks! glad to know you like it!
Hikari No Kasai- Thanks again! I'm happy to know that you like it!
sunshinemeg82- Okie! I managed to add your suggestion into the plot! thanks for suggesting! Yay! you like the pairings!
Resha04- Ok, glad to know you at least like where this is going, even if it isn't your favorite pairing. Don't worry! The rokunami will be here for a while!
Chapter 4
Ven's POV
"I'm home!" I announced.
Roxas mumbled something before turning back to his homework, sliding his pencil back and forth on the kitchen counter, Sora waved cheerfully and offered me a cookie, while Vanitas ignored me as usual.
I dropped myself on the couch, letting out a relieved sigh. Soccer practice was a torture today. Mr. Lexaeus didn't say anything, but kept looking at me they way he looks at Roxas after Roxas almost shot him.
"Don't you have any homework?" Sora asked curiously.
"Already finished." I fished my homework out of my bag and waved it dismissively to prove my point.
"Lemme see that." Vanitas grabbed my homework from my hand.
"Give it back you- you... lazy buttface!" I shouted, chasing after my stepbrother.
After a couple minutes, I finally managed to wrestle my homework back from him. Knowing Vanitas, he probably memorized all the answers already.
Roxas got up, going up to his room to put his homework away.
"Hey guys, are you hungry? I am." Sora looked around.
I nodded in agreement, Vanitas was too busy scribbling down answers to his homework (Most likely wrong, I was a little lazy with my answers). "Do we have any leftovers?"
Sora's stomach growled obnoxiously while he checked the fridge, turning around to report there were no leftovers.
"How about we make something?" He suggested gleefully. "Mom won't be back until nine."
I frowned. Sora was definitely not a good cook. He even burns his toast in the morning and would probably destroy the kitchen if we left him there for too long. He just never realized it since me and Roxas just don't have the heart to tell him that and he almost never takes Vanitas seriously since he's always a jerk to everyone.
Without even waiting for a answer, he charged back into the kitchen, already scavenging for ingredients or something edible in the fridge.
Roxas' expression was a mixture of horror and nervousness when he returned.
"Is Sora... cooking?" he asked.
"Yep." I exchanged a glance with him. How bad could it be?
We found out a couple minutes later when the smoke alarm went off and Sora had successfully burnt a microwaveable pizza. I scrambled to open all the windows while Roxas threw the pizza in the sink and turned the cold water on. Vanitas was doing nothing to help by cursing like a sailor and yelling at Sora, while he was franticly apologizing to everything.
"Idiot! How is it possible to burn something in a microwave?"
"I'm sorry!"
"Like hell you should be! What is wrong with you?"
"I'm sorry!"
"Hey Sora! can you turn off the water in the sink?"
"I'm sorry! It was an accident! I didn't mean to!" By now my stepbrother was reduced to tears.
Roxas just shook his head sadly and went to turn it off himself.
"Really! How can you even be related to me? much less my twin brother!"
"Van. Give him a break." I grabbed the golden-eyed boy's shoulder.
"He can clean the microwave up." Roxas added.
"What if he messes up on that to?" Vanitas growled. "and don't call me Van."
"Would you rather do it?" my twin countered.
"No. Why can't you do it?"
"Because we have to go to work." I responded, tossing Roxas his uniform from the closet. "It's almost five"
Vanitas grumbled something but complied.
"See you! We'll bring back some food if we can!" I waved and shut the door behind me, unzipping my sweatshirt.
Roxas fell into step behind me, he seemed to be in deep thought, but then again, he always was.
I sighed, sometimes it was nice to have work and get away from the chaos of having three brothers around. Not only that, but we got paid too.
We worked at a restaurant in Hollow Bastion, which was very popular with the people in our school. It was cheap, but also fancy, making it a very popular gathering place for us. Coincidentally, a lot of us got jobs there since we require slightly lower pay and can advertise for the restaurant. Me and Roxas work there as waiters on the weekdays, and so do Riku and Terra. A couple others work there as performers for some background music, like Xion, Aqua, and oddly enough, Zexion, while others cooked, like Marluxia and Kairi.
(Roxas POV)
I still can't believe Sora burnt a microwaveable pizza. I mean, there isn't even much to do other than punch in a number and wait for it to finish.
Looking at my 'older' brother, Axel's comment kept playing over in my head.
We were just saying that Ven and Namine would make a very cute couple. Don't you think?
Then again, Ven gets asked out pretty often, but he always rejects them because he's too in love with Aqua to even consider dating anyone else.
"Hey Ven?" I asked. "Do you like Namine?"
He blinked.
"Why are you asking?"
"Just answer my question." I snapped impatiently.
"Do you like Xion?" He countered.
Where did that come from?
"Answer my question first."
He held his hands up in defeat. "Fine. I don't. Now answer my questions."
"What do you have against her?"
"ah-ah-ah," he shook his index finger at me. "I answered your questions, now answer mine."
"No I don't." I sighed. Sometimes- scratch that. Ven almost always gets on my nerves.
He looked surprised. "Why not?"
"I just don't okay? She's one of my best friends and nothing else." This is starting to get irritating. "So what do you have against Namine?"
"Nothing. She's just..." His eyes widened. "You like her don't you!" He pointed a finger accusingly at me, grinning ear to ear.
"W-WHAT!" I stuttered.
"Awwww... Roxy likes somebody!" He dropped his annoying smile. "Usually I'd be supportive of something like this, but she's just not for you." He looked at me honestly.
"It's none of your business! I can like who I like okay?" Its times like these where even Vanitas seemed like a better twin to have then Ven.
Ven opened his mouth, then wisely closed it again
As I opened the back door to the restaurant, he glanced at me one last time.
"I'm just trying to protect you Roxas. She's not the right one." My twin looked at me seriously before heading off to start work.
(Xion's POV)
I barely made to the back room in my high heeled shoes (Required since this was a fancy restaurant). I enjoyed singing, but having to perform this many songs was exhausting. I sighed in relief when I took my shoes off. I really need to find better shoes. Aqua was already changed out of her dress since her shift already ended. She played the violin
"Hey Aqua." I waved her over.
"Hi Xion, great performance." She smiled
I knew Aqua pretty well from work, and I saw her sometimes hanging out with Ven and Terra, but talking to her, I realized I knew almost nothing about her.
"Oh! Hey Xion! Great performance today." Kairi popped out of the one of the doors in the back room that lead to the kitchen. "Have you seen Ven or Roxas? I need to give this to them." She held up a bag of what looked like extra food.
I couldn't help but feel slightly jealous. Kairi's food was to die for.
"What happened this time?" Aqua asked.
It really was no surprise that the Enix brothers had to get food from work. Roxas was the only one who could work a stove, but even he is no master chef.
"Sora burned a microwaveable pizza." She giggled, shaking her head.
Of course.
"Is it even possible to burn something in a microwave?" Aqua asked, chuckling a little.
"Trust me, if it's Sora, it's definitely possible. He somehow manages to burn everything, that's edible."
After that, me and Aqua hit it off right away, talking about various people in work, like hot the guys are (Terra got a 10, even I have to admit, he is pretty good looking), and how weird it is that Zexion actually plays the piano.
"It's really weird, I mean I can't even imagine him doing anything else other than hang in a library all day!"
Aqua nodded in agreement laughing slightly when the steel-blue haired boy looked at us suspiciously.
"Hey Xion," I looked up to find Riku standing over me. was it just me or did he look a little... nervous? Behind him, Terra and Kairi gave him a thumbs up.
"I was wondering... If... ?" He rushed.
"Um... could you repeat that again?"
He sighed "I- I was wondering... If you would like to go out on a date with me?" He drew the words out forcefully.
What?
"I... I..." What was I supposed to say? I liked Roxas, not him. I could ruin any chance I have with him by saying yes, but I rarely get asked out too...
"It's okay, I'll give you some time to think about it." He smiled, walking out the door and earning a fist bump from Terra as they headed back out to serve the waiting tables.
Aqua squealed in delight.
"Oh my god Xion! Riku just asked you out!" She jumped up and down on the spot. Even the most mature of people can be reduced to childish actions sometimes. "You have to say yes to that!" She stopped jumping when she saw my expression.
"oh. you don't like him do you?" She asked. "I have my girl friends too, trust me, I know when someone likes someone else. So who is it?"
I didn't reply. Sure I guess was friends with her now, but I still find it a little hard to fully trust her.
"Fine. I'll tell you who I like if you tell me ok?" she asked, wrapping her arm around my shoulder.
I nodded.
"Well, I've kind of been going out with Terra"
"What!" I looked at her. "How long?"
She blushed. "About three years now."
Well, she told me, so I might as well tell her. worst comes to worst I'll ask Larxene and Namine to do me a favor and spread the rumor.
"Well, I sort of like Roxas," I mumbled, feeling my face heat up. "But I don't think he'll ever see me as anything more than his best friend"
Aqua smiled. "You two would be really cute together. I think someone should have tried to set you two up a long time ago."
She checked he watch. "Gotta go." She handed me a slip of paper. "Call me if you need help with that. I think you two would make an awesome couple, Ven would approve too." She stopped.
"Oh and one more thing? Xion, whatever you do, don't let Ven find out about me and Terra. Don't even tell Roxas."
Ven didn't know about Aqua and Terra? They must have a good reason if they are his best friends. I nodded.
"Thanks." She waved one last time before opening the back door and heading home.
Leaning against the wall, I let myself slip to the ground. What was I going to do? So much depended on this one small decision.
I don't know how long I just sat there thinking. It could have been minutes, or even an hour before someone approached me.
"Xion...?"
I looked up. Roxas offered me a hand.
Great, the last person I wanted to talk to. But then again, maybe he could help me decide.
"We should head home." He said, gesturing to his watch. Eight o'clock.
"Did you get the food from Kairi?" I asked.
"No, Ven did. I'm pretty sure they started dinner without me. Jerks."
I laughed. Then I remembered what Riku had said earlier. What was I going to do?
"Er... Xion? are you okay?"
I shook my head. "Riku just asked me out."
"Really? That's great Xion! I'm really happy for- you like someone else don't you?" He eyed me suspiciously.
Whoa. He's good. Granted, he is my closest friend...
He seemed to read my mind. "Xion, I'm your best friend, I think I should at least know that much."
"I really don't know what to do. I mean, I've never been asked out before, but he's not him. If I go out with Riku, I may lose my chance with him for good. He'll find someone else." I sighed dejectedly, I always had Roxas and Axel help me decide what to do for such important decisions, but now they were the last people I could ever ask.
He nodded. "I sort of see what you mean... maybe if you went out with someone else, he'll be jealous. I mean I would be if-"
My heart skipped a beat. Did he mean me? Suddenly I felt like I was floating with joy.
"- Namine actually went out with Ven." He stopped, realizing what he just said. "You... won't tell her will you?"
The floating was replaced with a plummeting sensation. Bad enough he didn't like me and liked one of my closer friends, but now he didn't trust me?
I forced a smile, even though I felt more like breaking down and crying. "Seriously Roxas, who do you think I am? Of course I won't tell her!"
He laughed. "Right, sorry for questioning you."
We made small talk the rest of the way home, the more I thought about it, the less I had to lose. Roxas liked someone else, I could very well make him jealous.
By the time we reached Roxas' house I had made my decision.
"Hey Roxas? Sora has Riku's number right?"
He grinned broadly. The type of grin that usually would make my knees weak, but looking at it now, I felt sort of... empty.
"He does... why?" He looked at me, feigning curiosity.
I swatted his head playfully. "You know why moron."
He laughed and nodded. "I'll tell him to tell Riku you said yes." before bolting into the townhouse.
The walk home was lonely, but I was too preoccupied by tonight's events to notice.
Ignoring the still unfinished homework at my desk, I dropped myself onto my bed, muffling my face into my pillow.
Riku- the popular soccer team member asked me out. Me- the social reject who has no attractive features. The same social reject who was in love with her best friend, who in turn loved her friend.
I couldn't help but crying into the pillow, it wasn't jealously, or depression, but the disappointment and confusion that finally made me brake down a little. I couldn't help but feel a little disgusted at myself, I was stronger than this, I knew better than to wallow in self pity when there are other people in more miserable situations than me, but I still couldn't help but cry, knowing I missed my chance at Roxas.
There was no way to go back and change it.
A/N: hmm... there's a lot of "you answer my question first" in this chapter huh? Please let me know if you spot any grammatical of spelling errors. So, I'll try to get the plot moving along in the next chapter, and see where I can get.
Just to be clear, Xion does not know what happened to Roxas and Ven's mother. She know's something is up, but not to the specifics of what happened.
I'll also be starting a new (non-kingdom hearts) fanfiction, but this one is still my priority.
Reviews and opinoins are appreciated!
Thanks!,
CBC