The Perfect Mistake

"Cloud...Cloud wake up."
"Huh?" Cloud asked still half asleep.
"Get up! Roxas is awake!"
"What?" Cloud asked as he shot up and looked into blue eyes, much like his own.
"Roxas woke up," Rikku said, who was standing behind Sora.
"Is he okay?"
"The doctors just told me he is doing a lot better, though he won't say much to them," Squall told them.
"Can we see him?" Sora asked his parents excitedly.
Cloud peered at Sora who appeared to be back to himself now that Roxas was awake. He stood from where he was sitting and stretched his sore muscles. It was what he got from sleeping in a chair for so long. He figured that it wasn't anything a hot bath couldn't fix so he wasn't going to complain about it. He also had more important things on his mind, like his younger brother Roxas. As he walked and followed his father and a skipping Sora down the hallway he tried to come up with a logical reason Roxas would have done this to himself. Nothing came to mind but it wouldn't matter since he'd find out soon enough. Upon approaching the door he held his breath; not having any idea what to expect behind the door.
'I guess it's now or never.'
Roxas turned his head toward the door as it began to open. He was surprised when he saw his family all walk into the room; well besides Sora who ran to him and engulfed him in a gentle hug. Rikku closed the door behind her before turning to him. An instant pain struck him as he saw all of them. The only one who he couldn't quite read was his older brother, was was usually never a good sign. By this point in his life Roxas knew how his brothers worked. With Sora it was usually rather obvious what was going on with him. With Cloud it was a lot more difficult to tell, mostly since he kept all negative emotions masked and hidden away from others.
"I'm sorry," Roxas muttered softly when Sora let go of him.
"We're just glad you're okay," Squall said.
"We were worried," Sora added.
"Honey, just remember all of us will be there if you need to talk."
Roxas nodded slightly before looking back at his older brother, who had been silent and contained a stoic expression. When Cloud made eye contact with Roxas the younger boy instantly felt worse than he already had. He didn't think about his family's reactions or anyone else for that matter. It wasn't something he had really thought about and he figured if he had then he would have never done it. Taking things as far as he had was selfish of him and now it didn't do any good for him. Every one was going to know he cut and he was never going to hear the end of it.
"I'm going to take Sora home and your dad has to go back to work," Rikku said. "I'll be back shortly."
The three of them left the room leaving only Cloud there with Roxas. The older blonde moved from where he had been leaning against the wall over to the chair beside Roxas's bed. There was a brief silence as Cloud looked at his brother.
"I'm really sorry for all the trouble I just caused and for being a selfish jerk. I wasn't thinking."
"I just don't get why you'd think of doing this in the first place. Roxas what would make you want to kill yourself?"
Roxas looked down at his wrists and muttered something along the lines of, "It's complicated."
"Roxas, please talk to me. Is it something at home?" Roxas shook his head.
"No."
"Problem with your friends? I swear if Axel did anything stupid I'll-"
"No! It wasn't that! Besides I can deal with Axel if I need to."
"Then what was it? Does it have to deal with school?" Roxas nodded. "Who or what do I have to kill?"
Cloud's voice would have been rather frightening at that moment if Roxas hadn't been used to that tone. "Cloud you're not going to kill anyone."
"So it is about someone."
"Yes."
"Tell me without giving any names then."
Roxas sighed knowing that he wasn't going to be able to get out of this without telling Cloud at least something. "Okay, well you know certain groups in school love to harass people who are different than them? Well they take it farther than that. Did you ever wonder where those bruises came from?"
After hinting towards his older brother part of the problem he could instantly see Cloud's eyes flare with anger. Not only were people verbally and emotionally abusing the younger blonde, they had to go as far as physical abuse. Cloud swore if he ever found out who had hurt his brother so badly to cause this then he'd kill them himself.
There were other things that had built up what Roxas had just put himself through but none of it really seemed to matter all that much at that moment. They were only small things that were put together with all of the problems going on at school that just made him feel like it was just too much for him to handle. Now that he was laying in the hospital after nearly trying to kill himself it all just felt insugnifficant. Sure it was still going to bother him but he didn't think it was healthy to handle it in the way he just had.
"Roxas," Cloud began after a small silence, "don't let them get to you. That's what they want. Just remember you have wonderful friends and a loving family that will always be there for you. God I'm starting to sound like mom." Roxas let out a small laugh at that.
"Thanks Cloud. I'll keep your motherly wisdom in mind."
"Well you get your feminine charm from me," Cloud joked.
"Maybe that's why Zack tops," Roxas teased.
"Roxas!" Cloud screeched, a deep red began to tint his face. "Zack and I...we're not..."
"Come on, you both are practically joined at the hip. He drops hints all the time that he likes you. Don't tell me that he wouldn't want to jump you if he got the chance or that you wouldn't mind."
Cloud didn't say anything as Roxas gave him a smug look. Cloud was glad his brother was beginning to return to his old self again; although, he wished it wouldn't have started out with teasing him.
"Will you just tell him you like him?It's not that difficult to tell someone you like them. Hell if your friend Vincent can then you can."
"That's different."
"How?"
"Reno wasn't exactly secretive about his own feelings."
"I still don't get how it's different. Just listen to me about this. He's completely in love with you. His face completely lights up when you're around. There's just something in his voice when he talks about you."
"He talks about me? What about?"
"Can't tell yo7u. I promised I wouldn't. Just tell him or I'm going to have to and trust me you don't want that."
"You really need to hang out with someone other than Axel. He's corrupting you. Why can't you have a more sane best friend like Sora does?"
"You're kidding right? He's just as bad if not worse. Where do you think Sora learned everything? Yeah sure he may nice and what not but he's just as bad as Axel."
"No way. He doesn't seem that bad."
"Think of it this way then. He is friends with one of our family members."
"Good point, though I'm not completely convinced."
"You've been listening to his fan club haven't you?"
"He has a fan club?"
"You've seen him right? Why wouldn't he?" Roxas asked completely shocked his brother didn't know this.
"Why do you know this? Are you a member or something?"
"No, why would you think that?"
"I don't know you seem to know a lout about him. Do you like him?"
"No, he's not my type."
"Uh huh whatever you say. Once you can admit you like him. I'll tell Zack I like him."
"So not cool." Cloud laughed as Roxas glared at him.
When the door opened both their heads shot over to look at the intruder. The blondes let out a relaxed sigh at the sight of their mother. She walked over to her sons with a small smile at seeing the more joyful atmosphere of the room.
"It looks like you're doing better. Cloud can you go to the house and watch over Sora for me? I'm not quite sure I trust him not to burn down the house or something while we are gone."
"Yeah sure. Don't forget what we talked about," he directed towards Roxas before he stood up.
"I won't but your offer sucks."
Both boys laughed before Cloud left the room to return home and inform his best friend that his brother was alright and possibly question him about the things Roxas had told him. As he thought that Roxas could be right, a small smile pulled at his lips. Things could get better or at least that was what he was going to hope. It wouldn't automatically get better. The world didn't work like that. He would have to try and not let everything get to him and maybe actually talk to someone about what was going on. Either way he at least now had hope. Hope was really all that he would need if he wanted to get better and prove to himself that his life actually did matter.