This chapter is dedicated to YAJJ, who waited MONTHS for this. I am SO sorry I didn't write it sooner and that it's really short. D: I hope you like it!

Special Chapter

They hadn't spoken since their argument. Sure, words were exchanged as cordially and stiffly as possible, but actual long conversations between them ceased to exist. Their mother never noticed the tension between them—not that it surprised them or anything. She was always wrapped up in her own stress, worrying about why her children sat in a pregnant, uncomfortable silence during dinner wasn't a thought that even registered in her mind.

Neither one of them made the effort to change the wounded air between them either. Naminé would find one excuse or another to keep away from the two of them, Roxas would simmer in his anger, and Cloud would drift away from them; preferring solitude than their company. It was a tragedy for those that saw, one that had gone for far too long.

Many of their friends had tried to mend the relationship—Squall, Tifa, Kairi and Olette—but Sora was the worst. He'd spend days coming up with a plan to get the three of them together. He would try to trap them alone, initiate a conversation, but every time his efforts would be for naught. Naminé didn't want to speak, Cloud refused to budge, and Roxas always found a way out of the discomforting atmosphere. Neither blond wanted to give in; each one more stubborn than the last.

Worse yet, it was all Roxas could talk about in therapy. They'd made great strides during their weekly meetings. He felt a kinship with Ms. Aqua Holland, one he couldn't find in most adults, and felt particularly grateful his brother had forced him to come to her. They spoke about things he would never tell anyone else—except maybe Sora—and, more often than not, Roxas would find himself laughing alongside her about one thing or another. She didn't feel like a doctor perhaps that was why he felt he could trust her so deeply.

Now, he found himself talking about Cloud, Naminé, and the awkward tension between them since the argument. He was sick of it. There were so many other things he could occupy his time with, but no. He always came back to this.

"It's stupid. They're being so stupid. Cloud is just—Naminé—ugh! It's just so dumb!" He fumed. "Why can't Cloud just apologize to us and be done with it? What's so hard with saying 'I'm sorry'?" His nails dug into the pale blue arm rest, blue eyes fixated on a point on the rug.

He could feel her eyes on him, a comfortable silence hanging between them despite his obvious rage. It was one of the things he liked about Aqua. No matter what he did or said he felt she would never judge him. And even if she did it didn't matter to him. She was an outsider looking in, her judgment—if she had any—would never hurt as it would if it came from his friends and family.

He glanced at her, saw the tender smile on her face. His anger ebbed away at the sight, leaving him to fidget in his seat. Heat crawled up the back of his neck.

"You look uncomfortable. Are you okay?"

"Just embarrassed." He muttered.

The woman tilted her head, brows ruffled delicately. "Why? There's nothing wrong with being upset about this. They're you're siblings. Your support system. They're family and they're avoiding you. That has to hurt. It's okay to be angry, Roxas."

It's okay to be angry. He didn't want to be angry. Not anymore.

She must have read the resignation on his face because she was speaking again.

"You know Roxas, you don't have to wait for Cloud to apologize. Refusing to speak to him, having him avoid you—all that's doing is hurting everyone involved. If you want things to change, you need to help make it happen."

Roxas let out a breath. He had a feeling she was going to say that.

Roxas came home to a silent house an hour after his meeting. Their mother was out again for another long shift and it would be another forty minutes or so until Sora could call him back from the movies with Squall. He wasn't sure about Naminé's whereabouts. She'd been in the house when he left, hiding in her room in hopes of not having to speak with him. As for Cloud, well, he could never figure that out. His older brother had a bad habit of disappearing when he didn't want to be found.

He wandered through the dark home, shuffling his keys and phone around as he stormed up the stairs. He'd swung open the door to his room when he was met with an unexpected sight.

Naminé sat on the edge of his bed, legs swinging nervously off the floor. Her shoulders were ridged as she sat, a strained smile on her lips. Cloud leaned against the window, arms crossed over his chest, a contemplative look on his face. They all turned his way upon his arrival. That same infuriating tension filled the air.

Naminé was the first to break the silence. "We need to talk. Sit down." She patted the empty space beside her.

He hesitated for a brief moment, a thousand and one ideas flittering through his mind. He could turn around right now and walk away, give them both a taste of their own medicine for once. He could be difficult, refuse to sit or even listen, but what would that change? Aqua's words echoed in his mind again. If he wanted their situation to change, he needed to cooperate. Naminé was willing. Cloud was here.

It seemed they were all just as tired as he was.

He took the empty seat to her right without a word.

"Cloud," She called to him. He too joined them on the bed, this time taking the place to her right. His turquoise eyes fixated on the wall across them just like how Roxas preferred to stare at the floor.

Naminé sighed heavily. She grabbed their hands into hers and squeezed tightly.

"I love you both very much. You know that right?"

"Yeah," Roxas nodded. Cloud gave a silent nod in agreement.

She smiled again, genuine this time. "Then I hope you both understand that what I'm about to say is from the bottom of my heart." She squeezed their hand again. Roxas squeezed back. (And from what he could tell, Cloud did too.) "But I think you're both idiots and us avoiding each other is the stupidest thing we could ever do. I'm tired of being angry at you both and I'm tired of being hurt because of it. We can't change what happened, but we can forgive it and move on. I want you guys to know I'm not letting either of you go until we resolve our issues together."

As if to prove a point, her grip tightened around their hands surprisingly tight for such a petite figure. She gave them both penetrating looks, the intensity making Roxas cringe. Shame washed over him for the second time that day, as did feelings of regret. He glanced at Cloud, half-expecting to see the impassive mask on the male's face, like he always did since their fight. But he didn't.

Cloud was watching him closely, remorse swirling deep in those soulful orbs. Roxas couldn't bear to stare at him. He turned away quickly, tears prickling the corner of his eyes.

"I'm sorry," Cloud began, his voice soft yet uncertain, almost as though he weren't sure his words were the right one to speak. "What I said… I didn't mean any of it. We do care. I…" He paused.

Roxas caught the way he held tightly onto Namine's hand, his knuckles white against taunt skin.

"I care about you. About both of you." He stared at them with intensity, turquoise eyes brimming with emotion. "I love you both. It would destroy me if you… if either of you…" He let the words die away, unable to bring himself to speak.

Roxas's body trembled with emotion, his heart hammering in his chest. He rounded on his siblings in a flash, pulling them close and for dear life. The tears spilled from his eyes. They ran silent trails down his cheeks, a wave of emotions—guilt, regret, relief and unrivaled love—rolling into him. Naminé and Cloud held on just as tight, muffled sobs escaping his sister's lips.

"Y-yeah," he choked out. "I'm—I'm sorry. For everything. I'm sorry!"

Cloud hushed him consolingly, rubbing gentle circles against his back as he cried. They sat that way for a long time afterward, until their harsh sobs turned into quiet sniffling and the only sound in the room came from the passing cars outside. Still, they remained snuggled in each other's embrace, Roxas and Naminé somehow in Cloud's arms despite it being Roxas who had initiated the hug in the first place. Their comfortable silence would have stretched on longer if it hadn't been for the sudden shrill of a ringtone startling them back to reality.

They pulled away then; Naminé wiped her eyes out of habit and Roxas cleared his throat, suddenly embarrassed. He opened his mouth, but found no words would leave him.

Cloud handed him the phone—had he taken it from his pocket?—and gave Roxas a small, almost timid smile.

"Answer it before Sora starts spamming you messages."

Naminé giggled at the thought. Roxas eyed the ringing phone, a picture of Sora's goofily smiling face shining back at him. He looked back up in time to see his siblings on the move.

"Cloud? Naminé?"

They stopped by the doorway and glanced at him inquisitively.

"I love you both." He smiled warmly. "Very much."

Naminé beamed. Cloud merely nodded.

"And the ice cream in the fridge is mine." He added as an afterthought.

Naminé scoffed. "No it's not. It's mine."

"No," Cloud interjected, his tone flat. "No one is allowed to touch that ice cream."

"Why not?!"

"Because it's mine." Cloud turned on his heel and made way down the stairs, leaving the stunned duo behind.

Naminé turned to Roxas with wide eyes. Roxas brought the phone to his ear, too stunned to notice Sora had been on the other line for the last ten minutes.

"Sora?"

"Yeah Roxas?" came the amused tone.

"Imma have to call you back."

The brunet chuckled. "Sure thing. Go rescue the ice cream. Love you." The line went dead before he could reply. Roxas dropped the phone on the mattress then scrambled past Naminé, Cloud's name echoing through the house.

I hope that gives the closer you seek YAJJ. I'm sorry you had to wait so long for it!

As always, thank you for reading! I did enjoy writing this, made me debate whether or not I should take request fics XD

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