Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, Square Enix, or Disney.

"You promise?"

"I promise, Roxas. You'll never get hurt here."

Could you tell? I was so scared. Some part of me was still innocent, thinking all I had to do at this job was hold up a plate of snacks and smile. I didn't think this would happen to me. I was so scared then, and even more now.

Did you tell Demyx the same thing? Then did he later find himself getting dragged to a room by that freak? !

The hand is taken away from Roxas' face. He let's out a shaky breath, putting his face in his trembling hands.

That's exactly what must have happened, and Axel was going to let it happen to me too.

The lights are flicked on, and Roxas lifts his head as the man who'd saved him from Braig turns toward him, eyes focused on the carpet before Roxas.

"Y-you.."

I ended up with a worst freak than the first. This guy. No, this girl, who just for the moment looked like a guy..? Ugh, the gender doesn't even matter. Just that this freak keeps bothering me.

But what does he even want?

"When I open the door, head for the kitchen, and don't leave until Axel finds you, okay? Just do exactly that and everything will be fine. He'll help you."

"How?"

"Just trust me."

"Why should I trust you?" Roxas objects. "I don't even know you, but you seem to know everything about me. Who I am, where I work, what else?"

"Your father."

Roxas pauses. "What about him?"

"I know him. Very well."

"Tell me how. Right now." He mutters through gritted teeth.

"I can't. I'm not even supposed to mention him."

Roxas steps up to him in a second, and with all of his strength, ends up slamming him into the door. "Too bad! You brought him up! You're telling me about him right now!"

A frustrated huff leaves the man. Roxas looks up at him and the man, standing around a foot taller than him, looks back through red auburn locks of bangs that'd fallen forward. The man's long hair is still in that low ponytail, but his outfit's changed. He's now in a white button up shirt that's not tucked into his black slacks, and has an unbuttoned suit jacket. This all makes him look more masculine, but somewhat lanky, explaining why at moments with different attire his feminine waist would stick out more. He shakes his head, focusing his gaze on the floor.

"I'm sorry, Roxas."

Roxas takes a step back, and stares at the man with anger burning in his eyes. Silence fills the room, making Roxas realize that Braig had stopped banging on the door.

"Thank you...for saving me from Braig. But don't ever talk to me again. I don't want to see you, ever again." Roxas says. The man lifts his head, locking eyes without hesitation. "Please."

"But, Roxas-"

"No, I can't take this anymore. All of this." Roxas quickly unlocks the door, and runs into the hall.

The man follows and calls after him. "Roxas, wait!" When it's obvious that he won't, the man stops and sighs, "My name is Reno. Your father...is my boss, but I can't tell you what he's hired me for.."

Roxas slows down, and tries to process what the man has just said.

"Please, it's the truth."

Roxas shakes his head. "Goodbye, Reno."

Since his outfit is soaked with alcohol, he figures the best place to go is the kitchen and ask someone for help. He doesn't go because Reno-if that is his real name-told him so. It's just the best place to go. He wouldn't want to return to the ballroom and run into Braig. Speaking of Braig, Roxas wonders what happened to him.

"Roxas!" Axel calls just as Roxas is about to enter the kitchen. He speeds up his pace to reach him and rests a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong? What happened to your suit?" Roxas takes a step away, making Axel's hand slide off. Axel raises an eyebrow in confusion. "Are you alright, Roxas? Was it Braig?"

"Yeah, it was, and.." Roxas mutters. He stops, considering if he should tell Axel about Reno. If Reno does as Roxas said, and never shows up again, then he's not really a problem to bring up anymore. Plus Braig didn't see much of him, and couldn't describe him. But if he did, he'd probably end up describing Axel. Looking up at his boss now, he realizes how alike they are. Red hair, lanky figure, tattoos on their faces. This couldn't be a coincidence. "I'm fine now. Just a stain."

"It was? Someone told me something happened to you. Got me rushing here. Good thing it was just a stain, right? Maybe we can clean it a bit." Axel gestures toward the kitchen, and they both head in. "So did you get reserved?"

"Yeah, I did," Roxas pulls off his vest, and begins to unbutton his shirt. "But I'm not anymore. Axel, I don't think this is the right job for me."

Axel takes the shirt from Roxas and runs it under water, putting some dish soap on the stain. Roxas doubts that that'd actually help, but just lets him continue. "What's made you think that?"

"I'm just not brave enough to sleep with a stranger." Roxas admits as he pulls off the sports bra filled with bean bags.

Axel chuckles, "I like how you said brave, and not something like...slutty."

"Well, I was scared. Being brave would've meant me putting up with it and continuing."

"What happened with Braig anyway, Roxas? Was what happened to you about him, not the stain?"

"No, nothing happened." He sighs. "I just can't do this anymore."

"If he did something, you need to tell me. Before, you were pretty okay with this job." He lets the shirt fall into the sink and turns toward Roxas, drying his hands with a towel. "What changed your mind?"

"Nothing, I never wanted this job anyway. I don't even know why I'm here. I-" Roxas stops, hearing himself sound agitated and takes a deep breath. "Just let me leave."

"I'm not stopping you."

Roxas nods and heads out of the kitchen, running upstairs and into the dressing room. Just as he finishes changing, there's a knock at the door. He hesitates, wondering if it could be Braig or Reno. The door slowly opens and Axel steps in, closing it behind him. He walks up to the vanity mirror and sits on the bench in front of it. He looks up at Roxas, and pats the spot beside him, the seat being long enough for two. Roxas does so, and looks into the mirror. His face is a bit oily from running around and nervously sweating, but the make up is still on. Axel grabs a make up wipe and turns slightly towards Roxas.

"May I?"

"Sure." Roxas turns and let's the redhead carefully hold his chin up and wipe away the make up. Once he's finished, Roxas looks to the mirror and sees himself, not the butler.

"There you go, all better. You look much happier this way."

The blond smiles. "I am."

"So...you really wanna go, huh?" Axel turns his gaze to his own reflection.

"Yeah, Axel.."

"If I could stop you, I would."

"Why would you? I'm not happy here."

"But I am." Axel objects. Roxas furrows his eyebrows in confusion. "Because..you're here, Roxas..I mean, I haven't gotten to know you much, but you seem like a nice guy..and you do make me happy.."

"I'm sure you could find another butler to replace me, Axel." Roxas gets up from the bench and heads for the door. "And any of them could make you happier than I do."

Axel shakes his head and mutters, "No, they couldn't."

(

I hadn't seen Axel in weeks.

I was at the store.

No, I hadn't even made it into the store.

I was on my way home from work, and remembered that we were nearly out of milk, so I thought it'd be best to buy some, and maybe anything else we might need.

So I was driving to the store.

I asked for as many hours as possible at McDonald's.

I stopped at an intersection.

Waited my turn.

Then drove.

But there were lights.

Mom found out.

She was upset at first, asked if I was sure it was the right choice.

I'd heard her crying later when she didn't think I could.

But eventually, she told me that it was alright.

And she thanked me for working to help us.

But when she'd cry, she'd always say,

over and over,

"I'm so sorry."

He hit me in the back bumper, and sent me spinning.

For a moment, I could see the driver.

He had a phone in his hand.

Then my car started to flip.

One day, when I had free time, I was watching tv.

Nothing was on, so I pretty much daydreamed.

My mind wandered to Axel,

and I tried to calculate.

If I stayed with him, working every weekend while being reserved,

could I have stayed in school?

Maybe doing little side jobs for neighbors would've helped too.

Would I be doing better?

When I finally stopped, I heard people running and talking.

Eventually, someone pulled me out, and after procedures, loaded me into the ambulance.

I heard one of the paramedics mutter,

"That's Roxas."

"Roxas..Aerith's kid?"

"Roxas, can you hear me?" She carefully took my hand, and said with a sweet voice, "It's me. Rikku."

My eyes slowly opened, and I saw a young women with sunflower petal blonde hair tied in a bun, a few strands braided.

"Not that other Riku. Your mom's friend."

"Mom...has a lot of friends..." I muttered.

She giggled. "Yeah, she does, cause she's so nice. I bet you are too, Roxas. Your mom's always talking about you guys. I'll get to find out when you get all better, right?"

I looked up into her eyes, green with a swirled pupil. It was a unique trait only her people, the Al Bhed, have. My mom had introduced me to her before, and I had taken every chance to look into her eyes. They were really pretty to me. I smiled weakly and let my eyes flutter shut, "Y-yeah."

"Roxas?"

Should I have stayed?

There was a beeping that went at a moderate speed, then suddenly sped up.

"Roxas, stay with me." I heard Rikku say. "Stay with me. Stay with me."

"Stay with me, Roxas."

Axel?

Gather some courage and put up with it all.

Like Demyx.

There was darkness all around me.

A figure reached forward and grabbed my shoulders.

I gripped their wrists and opened my mouth to scream.

Like Axel.

They ripped a hand from my grasp and slammed it over my mouth before I could scream.

A bright light shined from above.

The figure came into view.

Like my mom.

Faces flashed on a bare canvas.

All shrieking, "Roxas."

My eyes widened. I let go of their arms but they kept their hold on me.

Yuffie's face appeared. "We told you. Be careful."

"I-I tried."

Now Zexion's face. "No, you didn't."

DiZ's face. "You did everything wrong."

Riku's face. "You've hurt them, Roxas."

"Who?"

"Me." Sora said.

My lips quivered as I tried to control my tears.

"Me too." Now Axel appeared.

"And me." My mother.

"And me."

"And me."

"And me."

My friends, my ex-girlfriend, my boss, my mom's friends. Everyone. They all appeared and said,

"Me."

"Me."

"Me."

Like everyone else.

I threw my head back from their hand, looking up to the light, and screamed at the top of my lungs,

"WHAT ABOUT ME? !"

Why am I so weak?

"Because you're human."

I slowly lowered my head and saw Reno on the figure, but his face keeps switching to another, one that'd I'd seen in only pictures.

My father.

"Because you're human, it's okay. It's okay to think about yourself sometimes. You've given up a lot. You deserve moments."

"Dad?"

"And you're not weak. You're stronger than many, even your father."

"W-what.."

Reno's face returns. He keeps his gaze lowered, like he would in the beginning of this charade. "Sorry for appearing again, Roxas. But really, this will be the last time. You're okay now. Everything's fine. I don't need to look after you anymore." He lets his hand fall from my shoulders. His face flickers to my father's as he looks at me and stays for just a few seconds longer, glitching like a broken television. I take in every bit of it. It changes back, and he continues, "Because my brother will take good care of you."

"Your brother..?" Could it be true? Was it not a coincidence?

"You're smart, kid. I'm sure you can figure it out." He ruffles my hair. "Now don't give him a hard time, yo."

I hesitate. I can't be right. He chuckles, "Maybe this will help." He leans forward a bit and smirks, "Got it memorized?"

My eyes widen in surprise. I stutter and quickly shut my eyes, shaking my head. "N-no, it can't be. It's just a coincidence."

"It's not. But don't tell him you ever met me, okay? I wouldn't want him to get excited just to be disappointed. Axel can't see me ever again."

"Why?" I ask, my eyes still closed.

"Because I'm dead...Roxas, I was the one that hit you."

"What?" He gasps, and when his eyes open to look into light blue topazes, Roxas sees bright green emeralds instead.

He struggles to catch his breath, but regains enough to say, "Axel?"

He'd never seen his boss smile so brightly before.

Yes, it was the middle of the night and I was spiraling through insanity as I wrote this. That's why it's so terrible.