Still feeling like crap, ugh ._. Anyways, off with that! Reviews time!
To Tera Loveless Uchiha: Another fantasy addict, woo! =3 Let's hope your teacher doesn't kill you! D= Good luck with him/her XD
To Scarletnight13: I quite enjoyed his outburst too XD Which makes it all the more funny when he says it's his first time swearing XD
To xXCatCatGirlXx: Thanks for the review! .w. And I called the puppy Sombra because the fur for that pup is darker, and since the other one is called Luna, as in Moon, I found it fit =3. And I can't really answer that, because I have a big fat, annoying writer's block on it! D=( I hate it, because it was getting really good! I promise, however, that I will update it as soon as I possibly can push the writer's block off (which is to say when the Sora&Roxas from that story stop going on strike) I'm sorry it's taking forever!
Gimme a nudge if you want a story/one-shot about a certain subject, and I'll see if I can make it happen. Or, if you want something to appear in this story, let me know!
Oh, by the way, next chapter will be much better, I promise! I have a good idea, wait and see.
Enjoy Paper Moon.
Paper Moon
Chapter Seventeen
Heir
Roxas
It was pretty quiet the next morning. Sora was nowhere to be seen, so I walked down the hallways, listening for any sign of life as I stiffle a yawn, still fresh out of bed. May nods to me with a smile as she passes by, and I wave in return.
"Have you seen Sora?" I ask her. She looks up from dusting a vase.
"He's in the Living Room. I'm sure he's done with what he had to do, so you can go right ahead to see him." I nod sleepily, rubbing my eyes and shaking my head, clearing it of sleep. I continue down the way I was headed, two distinct voices getting louder as I go.
"...explain why you're refusing this." An elderly voice says matter-of-factly. I slow down the colser I get to the living room.
"Because I can't, grandfather!" I hear Sora shout back, and from the tone of his voice, he's upset. "I can't do it!"
"Surely you knew this was coming." He continues, sounding really high-class. "You've known this for more than half your life now. You didn't seem to have a problem about it before."
"Because back then I could! But I still didn't want to, and I still don't!" His voice wavers now. "Grandfather, I... I can't. Even if I do, I will never be able to; I could never come with a heir."
"And why not? I believe that you will marry one day, right?" Sora makes a sound at the back of his throat as my hand rests on the handle, not really enjoying the concept of eavesdropping but unable to resist. "Unless you're refusing because you've committed the Devil's sin?"
Devil's sin? Is that what the old men call 'love' these days? Gimme a break. I can't stop the thought.
"Grandfather! At least have the decency to call it by the real term!"
"You didn't deny it. So I am guessing that it's true."
"What woud that change in your life, eh?" His voice cracks at many places. "Just ask Aerith to take your place! I don't want to do it!" Footsteps quickly approach the door, so I step back as Sora pushes the door open, eyes streaming tears. He notices me, and out of impulse, he buries his tear-stained face into the base of my neck. Slower, heavier footsteps follow shortly thereafter before I can try to bring Sora somewhere he can be alright, and a man who looks very well near a hundred steps out of the room, pausing as he see's Sora, his old, ancient eyes landing on me. Sora stiffens.
"Don't hurt him, grandfather." Sora says, voice hard as he turns around and stands protectively in front of me. "No matter what, you are not allowed to touch him."
"So this is the boy I heard your father talk about." I stiffen at the mention of Sora's father, and Sora starts making us back up such small steps that his grandafther takes no notice. "What is your name, boy?"
"Don't answer him." Sora tells me, hands behind him holding my arms underneath the elbows. "Just... leave us alone, grandfather."
"If you do not accept," he starts casually, looking to his old and wrinkled hands. "You will loose this land and every fortune you own."
"I don't care!" He shoots back. "Nothing is worth giving him up. Have Aerith take your place; I won't do it, no matter how many times you beg."
"Sora..." I start silently. He shakes his head.
"Don't say it; I won't do it. I can't." His shoulders start to shake. Gritting my teeth I look to his grandfather.
"He gave you an answer." I say gently. "Please, just respect his desires. That's what a grandparent does for their grandchild."
"He is no ordinary grandchild." He says, clipping the words.
"And I respect that. But, sir... if he doesn't want to do it, then there should be no questions asked." He looks at me a moment, weighing my words.
"Very well. I will respect both of your desires, boy." He looks to Sora. "Forgive me, grandchild. I mean nothing I have said." He bows his head slightly, and he turns and walks off. We both watch him leave in silence.
"Now stop that." I say as he turns to me, wiping the tears off his cheeks with my thumbs. "Is it my fault?"
"Of course not!" He protests, looking to the base of my neck. "Don't ever think that."
"Alright then." I smile at him as he looks up. "Why don't we go get some breakfast to cheer you up?"
"Pancakes?" He asks hopefully, eyes shining. I laugh.
"As many as you want. Come on." I start down the hallway, and he shouts in joy as he jumps onto my back, arms around my neck and legs around my waist. I laugh again and hold onto his legs underneath his knees as I continue to walk. He giggles in my ear as I try to keep my balance, going down the staircase carefully. "Remember the first time you made me give you a piggy back ride down these steps?" I ask.
"Of course. You broke my ankle in the process, but it didn't hurt that bad." I make a sound of disapproval.
"I still feel bad about that." I admit as I make it down the steps in one piece. I turn the corner and go through the door into the dining room, continuing through until I get to the door to the kitchen. When I step in, I set him down onto the stool at the counter. Karyn turns to look at us as we walk in.
"It's nice to see you two again!" She says joyfully, in the process of drying the last dish. "What can I do for you two today?"
"Can we have some pancakes?" He asks as I sit down beside him. She laughs and nods.
"How many this time? Fifteen for you, Sora?"
"Twenty." He says, grinning from ear to ear. I laugh at that.
"Ten for me, please." (A.N.: Damn they've gots the big appetite XD I can barely hork down two) She nods, placing the pan she was drying onto the stove.
"You're just gonna lie there for an hour again, aren't you?" I ask him with a smile as he basks in the shade of a tree outside. He nods, yawning.
"I ate too much." He groans again. I sigh, shrugging my shoulders.
"Learn to resist the smell, then."
"But they shmell shoooo good!" He complains in a funny voice, making me crack a smile. I sigh and flop down onto my stomach beside him, my chin on my arms.
"I'll admit that much." I sigh, closing my eyes. A bird chirps silently in the tree above us, the suns rays hot even in the shade, but it's a nice kind of warmth. Just on the borderline of being too hot.
"Hey, Roxas?" He says silently after some time.
"Hm?" I ask, in the process of falling asleep.
"If... grandfather decides to take back my inheritance because I refused to take his place, what will we do?" I open my eyes at his question, but not out of surprise. I knew it had been gnawing at him.
"We'll figure something out." I say simply, lying my head on its side on my arms and I smile at him. He's looking at me from the corner of his eyes, his eyes confused and worried. "We're managing fine so far, don't you think; what with having taken care of my parents a year ago." He nods, looking to the blue sky that lies hidden behind the leaves of the tree.
"I know... but I'm scared of it happening. I only know this life, after all."
"Tell me, what do you want to do, then?" He raises an eyebrow. "As a profession, I mean."
"I want to be a musician." He says with a smile, eyes faraway, as if he can see something that is not there. "I want my music to make people happy."
"Well, you're talented enough for that." I say. "So there's nothing to worry about there."
"And... I want to do that with you." He says in a lower voice, looking to the tree now. "Everything, actually."
I smile against my arms, reaching to push a strand of hair in his eyes. He looks at me.
"No worry about that, either." I reassure him. "And you'd be surprised how easy it is to adapt to a different type of way of living, when you're given no warning."
"You sure about that?" He asks. I roll onto my side momentarily and put my thumb to my chest.
"Promise." He smiles as I rearrange myself. "We'll be just fine." He nods and curls up on his side, closing his eyes.
"Now we sleep." He says, yawning. I laugh and close my own eyes.
"Now we sleep." I agree.
Sorry for the short chapter everyone, again this is probably a filler, except for the newest addition to the characters; Sora's Grandfather, who we do not know the name of yet XD I'll give you a hint; in Kingdom Hearts, this guy is very bossy, and he's from Organization XIII. =3
Anyways, stay tuned. Still feeling sick, and a red spot's appeared on me that looks a lot like what my sister had before she got sick =S Let us hope it is not what she had! O.o