Hello again ^^
This is not a joke I'm actually done with another chapter, though maybe not as good as the others, if you even liked them xp no matter ^^ I'll still continue till it's done.
Enjoy :)
Roxas' pov
"Which side will you choose, Mr Strife?" Xemnas asked his demonic eyes trained on my blue ones.
"This side." I stated with cold determination.
"Very well."
"You know, it's only a game of chess. No need to sound so deadly serious about it." Axel remarked dryly as Xemnas and I sat down in front of the chessboard.
"Chess is a reflection of the life we're living, Axel. One wrong move can make you lose your most valuable piece, and when that happens you have to think like your enemies in order take them down." Xemnas finished.
"But if the King is taken, isn't the game over?"
"The most valuable piece is the Queen. The King is the one you protect, but the Queen is the strongest piece. Without her you are at a disadvantage." I replied as I moved my Knight.
Axel looked like he was still confused but did not bother questioning our logic.
"I'll take ya word for it. But what was it with the frozen moment before, have you met earlier?" He sat down beside me and in the corner of my eye I could see how he glanced slightly worried between us.
"I recognize his eyes as well as the name of his father." I answered, taking hold of one of Axel's hands and squeezed it but pointedly avoided eye contact.
"Yes, my father Xehanort was an acquaintance of Mr Strife's parents."
" 'Roxas' is fine."
"As you wish. You may refer to me by my name also, though I remember a time where courtesy was the cornerstone of society." Xemnas sighed with a slight smirk. "Ah, well, what can you do when society becomes more uncivilized?"
"Live in it." Axel retorted while I smirked.
"Now, I think it's time for some serious business," Xemnas began, "I do not know what you are involved in but Xehanort is alive despite what I said earlier. I've seen signs of him, and he has taken too much interest in you. As I said earlier, I do not know what you're up to, but I do know that before he disappeared he was obsessed with his work and your parents. Maybe it is too late to warn you now, but whatever it is your parents had that Xehanort wants, keep it safe and if you lose it, be very careful. Xehanort will let nothing stand in his way." He said gravely.
"I will."
We finished the game, with a draw, and then it was time to eat. Axel took us to the kitchen (Demyx and Zexion had wandered of somewhere else after he washed away the paint). It was a fairly large kitchen with a table and chairs. By the stove stood a man with short blonde hair.
"Ah, Luxord, so you're the one cooking today." Axel said with a slightly uneasy feeling.
"Axel, my mate, finally visitin' me," Luxord turned around smirking happily. "An' I see you brought a friend," he said and turned his eyes to me and held out a deck of cards, spreading them in his hand. "Pick a card, love, and let's see if luck is with you."
I blinked not sure how to react more than actually picking a card. It showed a… something. Luxord took a look at the card and beamed.
"Squid! You have great taste. Now, love, roll the dice and we'll see what we'll have for spice."
Luxord handed me a dice and when it stopped rolling he peered at it.
"Jalapeños, an excellent choice. These ingredients will go perfectly with the sausages, chilli, curry and pineapple and together with rise it will be perfect!" Luxord began preparing the two ingredients I, accidently, picked and mixed them with the other stuff he had in the pot.
"Is he really serious?" I whispered to Axel who looked slightly green.
"Yeah, though sometimes the taste will surprise ya. But with this I'm a bit uncertain."
When the food was ready he served us a plate each before filling other plates and called for a huge guy called Lexaeus who put the plates on a trolley before leaving to hand it out. He did not ask what was in it, and it might be easier to eat if you don't know what it is. Luxord ate with gusto and took a glass of red whine to it. No one could ever understand how he thinks. What the food tasted like I won't even try to explain. Afterwards, Axel thought it best to go back to my house. He did not want me to go alone and truthfully I wouldn't mind him staying another night… not that I would ever tell him that. Also, tomorrow was Sunday so it probably would not be a problem. The rain had stopped but the clouds were still dark and the weather cold. We were walking from the train station and Axel insisted on holding my hand, and I will not even deny that I was wearing a blush. Axel still seemed to think that he had to make it up to me for the "Kairi-fiasco", even though I told him it was fine.
"Axel, can you stop for a minute."
Axel turned to me, coming to a halt. He looked at me with questions in his eyes. It was not for the first time that I noticed that Axel was taller than me. I ignored the amusement that sparked in his eyes as I asked him to lean down a bit and then close his eyes. I touched his face, tracing it with my fingers; he still kept his eyes closed though I could se he wanted to open them. Axel was truly handsome and unique… very unique, and childish. But I like that about him. I traced my thumb over his lips before moving my arms around his neck.
"Axel, I'm glad I met you." I leaned closer and kissed him softly but before he had time to react I pulled away and grabbed a hold of his hand and walked forward. "Now that we're over the mushy stuff it's time to go." I could feel the heat on my cheeks and almost regretted my actions, but sometimes you have to reassure that your feelings are true.
"You're a truly beautiful person Roxy." I heard him say as he moved a bit faster to walk along side me and I felt myself burn.
"I am not! …And don't call me Roxy! You stupid clown." The last part I grumbled to myself as he chuckled and wound his arm around my waist instead and kissed my temple.
We reached my house and went inside, only to be greeted by a shiny, obsessively clean home. I heard something moving in the living room and we decided to investigate. Cloud was there and he was sorting the movies and games in different categories and alphabetical order. Cloud hated cleaning and he would never sort things into order, and everything was clean, even the dust was gone.
"Cloud, are you alright?"
"What? Oh, yes I'm absolutely fine." Cloud grinned happily.
"What happened to make you upset?"
"Upset?! He's smiling. How can he be upset?" Axel exclaimed and peered closer at Cloud.
"Can't you see the tense lines in his face? He looks devastated, like his heart has been ripped out." Axel just nodded though he clearly saw nothing of what I saw. "So, what happened? You were quite happy with Leon this morning." Cloud twitched and his expression turned blank.
"We, he left because he needed to check in with his boss, but we were supposed to have dinner later in the afternoon. He said he would pick me up here but he never showed."
"That's not like Leon." Axel frowned.
"Yeah, and the only reasons I could come up with that would make sense was that he either doesn't really like me and I was stood up; or something has happened to him. I called but then he didn't pick up and when I tried again later it wouldn't even go through." To normal people Cloud would seem irate, but to me he looked dejected and worried.
"I'll try and call Reno, he might know where Leon is." Axel said and fished his phone out of his pocket and moved to the kitchen to call.
Cloud continued with the sorting and I sat down and waited for Axel to return. I could only hear that he was speaking but not what he said.
"It's quite pathetic of me to worry so much over someone I've not even known for long." Cloud mused, mostly to himself.
"I think it's fairly natural in your case. When you make friends or meet someone you like, who show interest in return, you commit to them on a very deep emotional level very quickly, and when something happens you become depressed and it sticks with you. I am not that good with feelings but it's getting better thanks to Axel. But haven't you already committed to Leon, and you feel comfortable and safe around him. You have already developed feelings for him and now you're worried that Leon weren't heading the same way as you."
"You've really grown, Roxas." Cloud said softly in response to my, sort of, speech.
I grumbled and watched as he began picking in the games, then Axel returned and he did not look too pleased.
"I got a hold of Reno. Leon was pushed of the road and is in the hospital, he had a dislocated shoulder and has a fractured arm." Cloud looked more worried than before but relieved, probably because Leon was safe now. "Also, he's in a coma. The doctor is hopeful that he'll recover." Cloud's face turned pale and froze in place. "Reno is on his way to pick us up, it also seems that Riku's uncle is there." He finished.
"Alright, then it's settled." I declared and dragged Cloud away from his obsessive sorting. Let's wait at the car park."
"Reno told us to wait inside until he arrives. He'll be here soon."
Fortunately, we did not have to wait too long and Reno arrived with a big guy in tow.
"Yo, this is my partner, Rude. You must be Cloud." Reno said looking at Cloud, who nodded. "Heard of ya from, Leon. He was really looking forward to go out with you, yo." He smirked faintly.
"…Me too."
"Well, time to go. The sooner we get there, the sooner you'll se him." He said and we left to his car. I wrote a note to Sora and put it on the kitchen table if he came home and wondered where we were.
When we arrived, Cloud disappeared into Leon's hospital room. Axel and I took a look just to confirm that he was alive before searching for Sephiroth, who we found in the cafeteria. Reno was following us a bit further behind, keeping watch.
"To call this substance tea, should be a serious offence. It's absolutely revolting." Sephiroth remarked as we came to stand by his table. "Roxas, Axel how lovely of you to join me."
"What happened?"
"Complications, we believe we know who's behind it all."
"Xehanort Darkness." Sephiroth blinked, surprised.
"Yes, I should stop being surprised by now. How do you know?"
"I met his son, who told me to watch out for him."
"So you've met Xemnas. Hopefully he'll be willing to help us."
"He will." Axel said with conviction and Sephiroth smiled.
"I'll take it that you've told him everything?" Sephiroth asked, looking between Axel and I.
"Not everything, but I don't mind if he hears what you have to say."
"Very well, the journal is gone."
"What?" I was shocked; I had thought it would be safe with Rufus Shinra.
"The mansion was infiltrated. We went separate ways, and Leon took the journal to protect him. But we had not anticipated that they would be as many as they were. Leon was caught when he went of the road, luckily they did not kill him, probably because they thought he would die anyway. However, they took the diary, but without you it's useless. No one else can read it, not even Xehanort. Rufus is already on high alert and searching for any leads on where he might be. As long as you're kept safe, we should have time." I nodded and Sephiroth continued. "I was told that Reno and Rude will take turns in watching over you and they'll keep an eye on the rest of your family so don't worry. I'll personally make sure that nothing happens to Sora."
"I don't think Riku will let him out of his sight anyways." I smirked lightly. "But what can I o to help?"
"You help by staying close and out of trouble. Do not go anywhere alone and do not try to seek him out. I know you struggle with your feelings regarding this, and all I can say is that you should stay with your brothers because they are still alive. Your parents, however, are not and nothing will change that, no matter what you do."
I thought it over and decided not to argue. I remember my parents, and I know that I want justice for them but I'm not blinded by revenge because my feelings to my parents are not the same as I think they were once. They feel muted when I see how Sora and Cloud talks about them. I don't think that I have all of my feelings present when it comes to my life before their deaths.
"Okay, but promise to keep me updated."
"Deal." Sephiroth smiled. "Now let's go see Leon for a bit then I'll take you home. Fortunately, my car was left alone and I was able to retrieve it from the mansion."
Leon was still lying motionlessly on the hospital bed, his head wrapped in bandages. Cloud was sitting by his side, talking to him. Sephiroth asked if he wanted to stay longer or follow them home. He decided to stay for a while. Reno decided to stay with Cloud and drive him home later in the evening, while Rude followed us. There were guards at Leon's door so he would be safe, just in case.
When we got home Sora and Riku greeted us; Sephiroth decided that he would stay until Cloud got home. I told them about Leon what had happened.
"Well, he has to wake up soon because our birthday is in a few weeks and he must be at the party, but we won't be too many, and not like last time." He threw me a guilty look.
"Geez, how many times do I have to tell you that I'm over it? Also, shouldn't we skip the party and just be family?"
"I won't let anyone destroy our traditions, if he tries I will burn down his house." Sora declared.
"Fine, fine, we'll have your party." Sora whooped and clapped his hands.
"You should be more happy, Roxas. After all, this time you can invite your friends."
I froze at the word 'friends'. At all the parties Sora arranged or dragged me to, it had always been with his friends. I never had any, because I didn't need them, but now… maybe I should start acknowledging them as such. Aren't Demyx, Zexion, Hayner, Seifer and Marluxia, and even Naminé, my friends? Demyx would probably take offence if I don't call him a friend. Hayner would be upset and if Hayner's upset Seifer will probably try to beat me, because he's such a softy when it comes to Hayner. Even I have a boyfriend and I had decided to be alone until I moved away, and then I was only going to get a cat. I get friends and a boyfriend at the same time as some deranged maniac wants me for my reading skills. What a life I have.
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I hope you liked it ^^ またね！