And here it is, the second major fic in the series The Reluctant Father. If you're new here, this takes place in the same universe as my first KH fic, Stupid Questions. It will be referenced multiple times, including major ending spoilers, so it highly recommended that you read it first. It's good, I promise. :) What You Make Me Feel also has events that play a role.

I would like to thank Raberba Girl, the other major Organization XIII writer here. I may be the king of Platonic AkuRokuShi, but she is the queen of Platonic AkuSaiRokuShi, which will be a major focus of this fic. The idea of Saix not being a complete jerk was alien to me at first, but her fics have warmed me up to the idea. Who knows—maybe the end of Stupid Questions was the first step in the healing process for Axel and Saix. (No, I won't tell you what I mean. Read it. :) ) They have far more than 358 days to heal their relationship in this universe, that's for sure. Thank you, Raberba Girl, for creating this genuinely unique platonic pairing.

DISCLAIMER: Kingdom Hearts belongs to Disney and Square Enix. I do not stand to profit from this work in any way. Mr. Nomura, if you're reading this, I have the utmost respect for you. Please send me the sea-salt ice cream recipe. Thank you. :)

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Castle Cleanup

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For the first time since he became a Nobody, Saix felt something other than exasperation. Unfortunately, it was horror.

Going into the basement of the Castle That Never Was probably hadn't been the best decision of the Luna Diviner's life. He could have done anything else with his day. Like shift through paperwork. Or plot last week's heart collection rates. Or ask permission from Xemnas to dusk Demyx for the 498th time.

But no. He had decided to investigate the Basement Where Nothing Lives (it was the last room Xemnas had named, and he was out of ideas by then), in search of a binder. Why he didn't make his dusks do this was beyond him. Perhaps Kingdom Hearts itself was influencing his actions. Either that, or he was simply going mad from the stress of running Organization XIII and its host of whacky personalities twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

In any case, if Saix hadn't been insane before, he was now. He wasn't sure what he had expected from a place called the 'Basement Where Nothing Lives', but he hadn't expected this.

Apparently, the rest of the Organization thought of the Basement as part dumpster, part junk drawer. There were more boxes here than at most department stores, and all of them were unlabelled, stacked haphazardly and filled to the brim with random junk. Everything from broken figurines to unidentified wires to candy wrappers had been tossed here. The trash can had always seemed practically empty to Saix, and only seemed to be filled with trash only the Keybearers would produce. Now he knew why—Roxas and Xion were the only ones who ever actually threw anything away properly.

The name, it turned out, was apt. No lifeform could survive in this room for long.

Shaken for the first time in his career, Saix inspected the rest of the castle. He saw signs of disarray he hadn't noticed before. Books lying around here, empty elixir bottles over there. He even saw an empty pizza box—he had never approved a pizza purchase. The last pizza delivery had been before Roxas. Either there were unauthorized purchases going on under his nose, or… Saix stopped that train of thought right there.

Saix saw a terrible truth in front of his eyes. He had lost control.

For a man whose entire purpose in life was to be in control, all the time, this was equivalent to an accountant realizing that he stinks at math. The result can only be described as a psychotic break. That day, something in Saix fell apart. Something snapped.

Something caused him to decide immediately to hatch a plan.

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Axel woke up as usual—with Xion literally dragging him out of bed so that Saix wouldn't be mad at him for getting up three hours late.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "You know, Xi, I am capable of getting up on my own."
"Then why don't you?"
"Because it isn't as convenient as rolling over and sleeping some more."

Xion rolled her eyes (that was a new one) and dragged him into the common room by the hand. Everyone else was already up. Saix was drawing on a whiteboard he wouldn't let anyone see. Demyx was eating some sugary cereal or another, and looked a little paranoid about Saix. Roxas had spaced out—he still did that from time to time. Everyone else was lounging around, pursuing their respective special interests.

No sooner had Axel sat down on the couch to sneak more sleep when Saix capped his marker, put a grey cloth over the whiteboard and rolled it out for viewing. The Luna Diviner had a crazy look in his eyes, the same look Larxene got when she was extremely annoyed. Axel sat up and took notice—he had never seen Saix like that.

"I have an announcement to make," Saix said. "You're all getting three days off…"

Everyone but Axel grinned in delight, especially Xion—three whole days for Beautiful Things!

"…To declutter."

Everyone but Roxas and Xion moaned. The Keybearers just looked confused.

"I've made an extensive plan for this operation." Saix pulled the cloth off the whiteboard, revealing the plan. When he said extensive, he meant it. There was so much text that Axel couldn't read it all. He could tell immediately that this was going to suck.

"Step one is a quick inventory," Saix continued. "I want you all to go to your rooms and make a list of everything you own, and I do mean everything. Report back to me when you're done. Questions?"

"Yes," Axel chirped. "Three days off heart collection for cleaning? Are you OK?"
"I'm perfectly fine. We can put aside heart collection for a few days."
"…Who are you? Where's Saix?"
"You'll understand when you see the basement. Inventory, now."

As everyone sulked off to list things, Xion looked up at Axel. "What does 'declutter' mean?"
"It means our lives will be a frenzied hell for the next three days."
"What's a hell?"
"Fuuuuuudge. Hell is fudge."

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Xemnas declined to participate. What was Saix supposed to say to that?

Xigbar's inventory included two guns, infinite gun ammo, sixty gun magazines (thirty ammo containers, thirty paper mini-books) and ninety-nine copies of an unprintable form of… payment.

"…I need to start paying you in regular mission rewards."
"But this is so much better!"

Xaldin's inventory included lots of spears, lots of spear upkeep equipment, lots of spear practice targets and a sleeping bag. With an extra spear.

"You organize these, right?"
Xaldin's subsequent explanation of his spear organization system has been cut for your convenience.

Vexen's inventory included multiple science experiments (he had gotten new science equipment), a science desk, a poster with the scientific method on it, several hundred scientific data forms and a Gun of Discord.

"What's a Gun of Discord?"
"That invention is, err, still in the prototype phase… can we talk about this some other time? Preferably when Axel isn't on the other side of the wall?"

Lexaeus' inventory included a metal heart-and-crown puzzle, a photo from when he was a Somebody, a few books and a 'Do Not Disturb' sign he had stolen from a hotel in Twilight Town, which was always on the door after bedtime.

"Number V, you do not need to be paranoid about Number XIV entering your room at night. I put a stop to that nonsense last time."
Lexaeus just snorted.

Zexion's inventory was nearly a thousand different books, a reading light, a tablet filled to the brim with eBooks and the only true laptop in the Organization.

"Congratulations, you are the first person so far who actually had what I was expecting."
Zexion muttered a 'thank you' while flipping through Decluttering for Nobodies.

Saix did not make an inventory. Literally everyone else thought this was completely unfair. Of course, when it was brought to the Superior, he was completely disinterested, so they were stuck with it. Saix's room was always clean enough to eat off the floor, anyway.

Axel's inventory included all the major game consoles, several games for said consoles (a surprisingly large portion of which were actually kid-friendly), the only true television in the Organization, a DVD player, a VCR which he refused to part with, several DVDs and videotapes, a few hundred books, a stereo, a little under thirty classic rock albums, a Lego box (because what self-respecting man doesn't own a Lego box?), an ice cooler and several hundred boxes of Amano Brand sea-salt ice cream.

"The Keybearers have made you immature. Or maybe you always were."
"Saix, there's this little thing called 'free time'…"

Demyx's inventory included lots of stuff. Seriously, that's what he put on the form Saix had given him.

The Luna Diviner got that look where it was like his eyes were on fire, and Demyx squeaked in what would certainly pass for terror.

Luxord's inventory included several hundred card decks, books on various card games, playing mats for various trading card games and a typewriter which he was using to write his memoir, King of Hearts.

"You're writing a memoir?"
"What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing, it's just… unexpected."

Marluxia's inventory included several thousand plants, plus lots of stuff meant for plant care and an encyclopedia on lots of different pant types.

"It's a castle, not a greenhouse."
"But it's so dreary!"

Larxene's inventory lots of unprintable lady stuff, three books, a cell phone (with no connection—the signal in a place that doesn't exist tends to be terrible) and a photo of Demyx. With twenty or so knives stuck through it.

There was a scream from outside the door. Demyx had been eavesdropping.

Roxas' inventory included a mattress, a mattress frame, a pillow, a blanket, a pencil, a journal, a coat, a coat, a coat… the inventory listed every last individual item.

Saix just slapped his head with his clipboard for a few minutes. Roxas was still there when he was done.

Xion's inventory included a Keyblade, a bed, a mirror, fourteen uniforms (two for each day of the week), three personal outfits (which she never wore), pajamas, five manga books, a pencil, a diary, lots of potions, elixirs, etcetera, and her stuffed friends Thomas the Elephant and Bird the Penguin.

"Number XIV. You have done well."
"Thank you, sir."

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Saix returned to the common room an hour later with a revised plan. He found it a little disappointing that XIV was the only one who had done the inventory correctly. It made him wonder whether he had ever had true control over Organization XIII at all. Certainly, any situation involving Vexen building a 'Gun of Discord' was wildly out of control. This, of course, only made Saix even more discouraged by the current state of affairs in the Castle That Never Was. But the cleaning project had to help, right?

"Okay," Saix said, sighing. "Xion, you already know what I think of your inventory. Roxas, your inventory was… adequate. The rest of you, I see a lot of stuff we can get rid of. We start tomorrow…" The Luna Diviner put on a tone of voice so mean it even made Xigbar shudder slightly. "…Except for Demyx."

Whether or not Demyx wet himself is a matter of contention. What is known is that he shot up and said in a very small voice, "No…"

"Number IX, you will be facing an Infernal Engine tomorrow. Solo. The rest of you, we start with Demyx's room. We don't know what he'd want to keep, so…"
"Noooooo!" The Not-So-Melodious Nocturne got into a begging position. "You can't do this! You just can't! I'll rewrite it! I'll list every candy wrapper, and their brands!"
"You should have done that the first time. Take your punishment like a man, Demyx."
Demyx raised his arms to the heavens. "NOOOOOOOOOOO—"

A claymore whacked him upside the head. It wasn't hard enough to knock him out, just enough to make him stop screaming to say, "Ow!"

Saix looked at the gathered Organization members, losing the voice but keeping the cold stare. "Now we can sleep…"

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Axel had just turned off the light when Xion slowly opened the door, gripping her stuffed elephant. "Are you still awake?"

Had it been anyone else, except maybe Roxas, he would have found this rather creepy. But Xion did this sort of thing. Sometimes things cropped up between ice cream and bed that required Axel's attention, and there was no real quiet time other than bed in the Organization. This was why Axel actually wore the Organization-issue pajamas instead of just sleeping in boxers.

He sat up, preparing for the hand-flicking motion to summon his chakrams (in case he needed to go 'chat' with someone). "What is it, Xi?"
She closed the door behind her. "I don't think he wants anyone to know this, but Saix said I did well with the inventory."

Axel was holding the chakrams, but only because of that tense moment between 'this' and 'but'. He sighed and put them away. "Really? I've never heard of him praising you."
"Because it hasn't happened before. That's why I came to you. Do you think he's changing his mind about me?"

Axel sighed once again and rubbed his face. "I don't know, Xion. This cleaning thing seems to have gotten something into him that wasn't there before. Don't get your hopes up—he might go back to being old Jerk Saix when this is all over."
"I hope not. I want Saix to like me."
"And why, my Keybearer, do you want Saix of all people to like you?"

Xion looked up at him with those sad puppy dog eyes that always made that spot where his heart used to be feel just a little warmer than usual. "Because he decides my fate."

Axel hugged her tight. If he had the choice, he'd never let go.

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That sad, pretty scene at the end of the chapter? That was not in the first two drafts. This is the advantage of seat-of-your-pants writing—you're going through the draft and you think, "You know what would make this better? A tender moment between Axel and Xion." That's why I don't outline. I just get an idea for a story and a central theme, and work from there. I chose the right fandom to write for, because it tends to produce little character moments like these, which are always the best moments in the games.

Anyway, yup, this might be 99% Platonic AkuSaiShi, with Roku noticeably absent. Don't worry, Roxas, I promise I'll give you a fic all to yourself when this is over. And Xion, please stop being greedy. I wrote one fic all about you and another fic where Axel was giving you the best day ever. And now you want a fic where Saix praises you? It's insanity. I need to find a way to break your hold on me, or poor Roxas will never get back into the Great Platonic Pairing. :) (I need to trademark these character talks… *wink*)

I feel like I should credit Raberba Girl for the idea of the Organization owning electronics. Can we all agree that it's a good idea? Once they get an internet connection over there, it could get really chaotic, really fast, especially when the Keybearers decide to use it as a second Axel. Foreshadowing…

I hope you enjoyed reading this first chapter. There will be more, of course. I think I like this fic-a-day thing—it makes me write more. Remember, reviews are always appreciated. I'll be giving a Roxas-focused giftfic based on a (reasonable) prompt of your choice to the first reviewer who can tell me the difference between a sitar and a guitar. I mean, are they even real? Let me know, because Rox is getting restless.

Thanks for reading, and be sure to tune in when Chapter 2 hits!