So for this, I wanted to try a little different. Just a small Alternate universe story. It has some familiar character. And I wanted to do some kid-centered drabbles. And I realize I'm a year behind. I've decided I can't keep up with it, so I'm going to do as much as I can.

It's explained more in the other two stories, but this is an AU drabble, a theoretical in case Sora, Riku, and Kairi made it off the island and all the worlds were actually one big world or something.

Roxas was never a social boy. He was the quite kid in the class. In kindergarten, he hardly made any friends and probably the only reason he went forward and not held back was his sister was a healthy girl. In fact, his only true friend was probably his twin sister. He played by himself most of the time, but never minded if some of the friendlier kids invaded his space. This was what happened all through elementary school, only as the grades moved on he had less kids approached him and the only one who really hung onto him was Naminé. He had acquaintances, but no friends. A few of the friendlier and sweeter girls would accept him into their group for project. And he received the last spot for sports in Gym; he was fairly quick and strong. Not picked first-that spot reserved for friends, but before the slower and weaker kids.

Then he came to middle school, and he suddenly became a social outcast. His sister was not available due to assigned to a whole different group of teachers, a different lunch, and they only saw each other for one class. Roxas did not know if she was as bad off as he was, but he never asked. He did not talk about school much at home and his parents never pressured him on it.

He eventually stumbled upon Hayner, Pence, and Olette, or as the general populace called them, the Spaz, the fat-kid, and the nerd. That was fine with Roxas. Everyone called him psycho, since he never gave anyone a friendly look…and he had stabbed a kid in the hand with a knife. That was a lie; some macho jerk had been throwing small pieces of paper and when Roxas got sick of it, he got out of his seat, approached the desk in a rush, and stabbed his pencil through the next ball of paper headed his way with the command of, "Stop it."

Needless to say, his parents got a phone call, an afternoon detention, and Papa bought him a new skateboard (though Dad and Mom made him put it up for a week before Roxas could have it).

The three were friends in middle school school. It started after Roxas and Hayner got into a fight over some stupid thing that Roxas or Hayner never remember. It probably had been stupid, anyways. But the next day, Hayner welcomed him to their table at lunch. Roxas was surprised about the behavior, but for some odd reason, he fell in line with and dragged over with Hayner, laugher on his tongue as well.

"And you know what?" Hayner suddenly announced, "We are not going to be a clique or a group! We'll be a gang! Since there are four of us now, we can do that!" Hayner cheered. It was infections. Roxas smiled, which he never did much outside of home anymore.

Hayner was abrasive, but jovially and loyal to a fault. He had his moments of being a brat, but all he needed was a good shove and he went along with the adventure. Hayner's greatest strength and weakness was he was honest with himself and about everything to a fault. It was something refreshing.

Olette was probably the smartest person he knew. And contrary to her nickname, she was not a nerd, just bright with a strange mix of gentleness and charisma. Olette was simply Olette. Roxas would not be surprised if Olette grew up to be president of a company one day.

If Hayner and Olette were outside the normal, Roxas would say Pence was exactly what he presented himself to be. And if anyone should be labeled as a nerd, it was Pence. Yes, Pence liked to eat, but he was also a happy person. He was content with his world and only desired simply thing.

One day when they were at this place that acted as their head quarter, Roxas suddenly announced to them. "I have three parents." They had been sitting and talking about the apparent Struggle match coming up, and he just felt like being honest. It was like he had kept a huge secret from them all this time and since they were his first friends; they had to the right to know. "As in, they kind of are married to each other and they live together and stuff." Jeez, he was not even sure if they were actually married. Probably not, but he did not think they cheated on each other, so that was probably some sort of common-law thing.

He remember Tera always saying keep their family life to themselves, as if it was something to be ashamed of and while Naminé was proud of their parents, she never really explain the actual aspects of how Mom and Dad and Pops were together. Roxas' friends had asked before. Hayner had asked about why his older sister looked so different from him (Though it came out as: "How can you be related to that gorgeous creature!" He did punch Hayner for that.). Hayner asked if they were half siblings or something. Roxas would brush it off. Sure, Tera was his half sister, but half implied they were somehow cut off from one another. Tera was sometimes weird, but he was as much his sister as Naminé. Olette always asked if she could come over to pick him up for school, but he always declined. It probably hurt her, but he knew it was abnormal. And Olette seemed like a very normal person. True, she did not judge, yet Roxas always imagined her having just two perfect parents. It was not too hard, as Mom was usually the one to go to school with assistants and occasionally Dad. However, Pops usually picked them up. Pence actually had been over to his house for a project. He had given Roxas questioning looks on the three adults, especially getting a little wide-eyed after seeing Dad first kiss Mom on the cheek and giving equal treatment to Pops when he got home from work. Pence never said anything in front of the others (which Roxas was thankful for), but he already figured out him and his sisters correct parentage and had asked a few times where they were from instead of what his parents were. Roxas shrugged about the subject and Pence was nice enough to drop the subject.

His three friends paused in their conceptions of ice cream. But Olette suddenly smiled shyly and said, "So do I, but I don't live with my real mom. She has…problems. But I really like my step mom! She's more like my mom then my real mom really was."

"Well," Pence began, "I don't live with either of my parents. I live with my grandma. I never knew my mom, and my dad died, so she raised me." Pence turned his gaze to Hayner. So did his other two friends.

"Well, um, I have both mine, and they are both awesome," He mumbled while scratching his head, "But I don't know my dad's family real well. Most of them disowned him because my mom's a different race." There was a pause after this, but they all broke out in laughter. It was a serious subject, but the obscurity of talking about it was too real. Roxas never realized until this moment that these three people were his friends, really his friends, and he did not need to hide. Not anymore.

He still did not give Hayner any hints on how to woo Tera, but he did not love Hayner that much.

Through middle school, they stayed friends. By high school, they started to drift apart. Not because they did not like each other anymore; they still hung out on the weekends together, whether for Struggle matches or part-time jobs around town or just eat ice cream together. But high school opened doors for them to other areas and lifestyles. Their nicknames were lost. Hayner became more involved in sports (now called the Spaz, as in being quick); Pence joined various computer and science clubs and found a kinship with other people who had his interested. Olette got a part-time job after school, in hopes to help save up for college and a car. Roxas, at the request of his twin sister, joined theater as a back stage crewmember. He found no reason to say no.

Theater was where he met Xion.

Roxas had been putting up the date for the casting call before school and a dark-haired girl seemly appeared behind him. He jumped when he heard, "So, the play is 'Midsummer's night Dream?'" She asked with curiosity

"Um, yeah." Roxas replied, not really knowing much about the play itself. Naminé knew more about this stuff then him. "You, um, going to try out?" He asked

"Of course."

"Uh…cool. So, which part are you going for?" Roxas looked at the list, not really sure who was who. But he knew one of the big ones, "Um…Titania?"

"Oh no, if I'm doing a part, I'm going to try for Puck!" Xion cheered before walking away.

That was another part Roxas knew…but that was also a boy part. Sure enough, the cast list put up after tryouts, there was her name under Robin Goodfellow. Throughout the production, their friendship began. Xion was the Techie's Actor. While Xion was a lead, she often let her understudy take her place to look backstage at what the crew was doing. And even out-right helping out, usually with Roxas. He could not describe it. They just…bonded. He liked and adored her simply and easily.

During the dress rehearsal for their school while they were setting up props (Xion was already in her costume), Roxas told her quietly, "I have three parents."

Xion paused only for a moment before replying just as quietly, "That's okay. I have none." Roxas learned that Xion lived in a foster home and wore hammy-down clothes for the most part.

His friends told him Xion was like him, except a girl. They both liked to skate board, and listened to the same music, and Xion was even willing to have some mock fights with him. Hell, they never debated about the problems with society and other issues of the nature because they were quite similar (Though the strange part was the reason they came to conclusions were different). Both had explosive outburst of anger when pushed to the breaking point, coincidently, though Roxas never recalled either of them directing it at each other. Of course, they were a little different. Xion was much calmer and held more of a melancholy on and a bit more naive compared to Roxas more stoic and aggressive nature with moments of blunt stupidity. Similar natures, but little differences. And, of course, Roxas was a boy and Xion was a girl.

Then again, sometimes that switched up.

They had a date once. It started for a bet with their supposed rival gang. In the last round, they lost and Roxas, to pay for humiliation, received the task of dressing up as a girl and get a boy to go on a date with "her." He told Xion about his predicament and the girl smiled and said, "Well, if you have to dress up as a girl, I'll dress up as a boy and be your date!" Roxas already knew of Xion's distaste for skirt or frills and figured it would not be so bad if she had to be his date. Roxas took the offer gladly.

And Xion…did make a convince boy. Her hair was cut short and she could be mistaken for a small boy due to being a little immature physical. They helped with each other's makeup beforehand-Xion' spread rouge along his lips and cheeks while Roxas darkened her face with some dirty-brown tan and spread regular foundation on her lips to make them more pale. Roxas did his own mascara while Xion darkened and thickened her eyebrows. Xion helped Roxas with a headband while Roxas did Xion's tie. Looking in the mirror, Roxas was surprised and hated the fact how they could pull this of easily. As much as a convincing boy Xion made, he equally made it as a girl.

The date itself…was rather enjoyable. Roxas was being watched by the Disciplinary Committee (the said rival gang and originators of Roxas' predicament), but they did not know who Xion was: All they saw was a boy the same height as Roxas (who wore the flattest pair of Mary-Janes in his size) in large dress shoes (with souls at least one inch think and lifts inside the shoes to add another) and a fedora.

Roxas had never had a date before. It was an interested, yet equally commonplace experiment. Yet, there was a bit of a thrill to it. Roxas played his part of the reserved party while Xion easily slipped in more of being expressive at the start. But, they laughed a lot and Roxas could not deny it was fun. Roxas even kissed her. He made the move for that one when she brought him home. It was sweet. It was simple. It was nice. It was…

Xion had pulled away with a grin and replied against his ear, "This was fun." He blinked after she opened the door, as any proper gentlemen would. When stepping inside, he was glad that nobody appeared to be in the house (except for Mom and Pops, would were engrossed in their movie and gave him a cheerful hi. He really did not need them to see him in one of Naminé's skirts). He quickly ran up to his room and stared at the retreating figured of Xion. He saw the Disciplinary Committee follower her, but only down the block before heading the opposite way.

Roxas thought about the kiss. It also left him feeling…unfilled. He wondered if he should have kissed Xion again, maybe harder.

His friends and rivals brought the date up the next day, and Xion was nice enough to hang back for a few days so nobody recognized her. The next time they spoke, it was the spring production (It was My Fair Lady, with Xion being Alfred Dolittle). They spoke about the date with some merriment. When asked about this kiss, Xion replied, "It felt funny!" It was her first kiss, too.

Roxas always figured he would get over the awkwardness of that first kiss. That maybe it would mean more to Xion eventually and mean something more to him, too. Maybe it would mean something when they were both grown up. They could finish school, get married, and have kids. He could see it happening.

During the summer, Roxas met Lea, and that fantasy eventually vanished.

While most of his fights passed under the school's radar, the school suggested he get into some sort of community program. It upset him greatly, as he would miss the theater camp he promised to help Xion and Naminé with (Naminé begged their parents it counted as part of the community), but he was forced to build houses with actual juvenile delinquents. Lea himself was a known vandal who also favored shooting off illegal fireworks in abandoned lots. To this day, Roxas still could not explain why he liked the creep.

If Xion was his analogous, Lea was his complementary: While Roxas kept his cool, Lea was explosive with emotions. Roxas thought carefully, Lea just drove straight in every day life. Roxas let people come to him while Lea would jump into the middle of conversation. Ironically, this made them both rude jackasses, though Roxas leaned to prude and Lea to idiot. They both liked to fight for fun and their shared emotion was their short fused, sometimes at each other. However, usually one always pulled the other away from actually becoming too bad.

At the end of that summer, Roxas told Lea, "I have three parents. They share a room."

Lea did no look up from tying his shoes with his short reply of, "And?" The 'and' sounded less like a 'go on' and more like a 'who cares?' It made Roxas feel better that Lea did not care.

Even though he did not go to school, somehow Roxas roped Lea into doing some of the driving for the productions at the school next year. Xion had again scored the part of a male-lead, the Scarecrow for the Wizard of Oz. Xion was at first a little scared of the forward Lea and Lea was a little confused to the oddity of a girl, but apparently they became friends enough where Roxas had to one night drag Tera out of bed to help cover Xion and Lea's bail because, in Xion's words, "He had this really cool idea and it was really funny and we knew you would be against it, but we did not realize that there was no trespassing. Ooops."

He can't remember what they were doing prior to their first kiss. He remembered the events earlier that put them into here. Roxas vividly remembers Lea and Xion talking near his truck and upon seeing Roxas, she gave Lea a little push to Roxas with the loud whisper of, "Go ask him!" He remembered Lea asking for a walk later, after theater. He remembered the sea-salt ice cream. And he remembered when Lea pulled back after the first kiss. He remembered feeling, but not actually thinking. Roxas, however, did remember the second and the third kiss. He lost count after the one, though.

He is slightly embarrassed on how he introduced Lea to his family. It is not the homosexual thing. He's Dad's son, after all. Two out of three parents are men, meaning, unfortunately, they probably do stuff together, too (Though he would not mind Naminé's logic of thinking their concepts were merely accidents involving toilet seats). The idea of like boys is acceptable. Though he liked girls (since he did like Xion) and he never found other boys attractive. Then again, he never felt anyone the way he did Lea, either, so maybe he was not attracted to anything specific and more to specific people. And it's no so much that Lea's that much older then him. His parents are barely a year apart between their ages, but Lea is only one year out of high school, so not too bad.

It comes down to the fact that they catch him with his hand on Lea's zipper while Lea worked on his shirt. Lea survived the encounter, so it was a good start.

Roxas, now at the age of sixteen, the age his parents set off into the world by themselves, already knew he would not live his life so daring. He understood that he lived in a form of dysfunction. Yet, out of all his friends, he probably had one of the best home life. His parents loved him and his sisters without any problem. Olette had two mothers and a father, though her real one was not what a mother should be, but she was healthy and a stable person. Pence did not have either of his parents, and perhaps he had been spoiled as a kid, but Pence was happy with who he was. That was all that mattered. Hayner did always seem to have a chip on his shoulder about things and perhaps coming from a rejection of being mix ethnicity was the reason, but there were a lot of other things that set Hayner off that were less of a social issue (Such as Roxas steeling the last chili fry). Xion did not have anyone to call family, which is probably why she turned to acting for an outlet. Then again, they say you either have talent or don't, and Xion certainly had a knack for slipping into a role as easily as slipping on clothes. As of yet, Roxas only knew Lea had a sibling, but since the bastard did not have a problem talking about anything else in his life, it was either unimportant to him or a horrid detail that Roxas did not need to know yet. But perhaps without their background, they would not have become a part of Roxas' life. As for himself…

Even though he was not perfect, Roxas had a feeling that he turned out pretty much who he was suppose to be, even if his family was different.

There will be a long note here. Just a few comments on my feelings on things as well as mentioned of future projects that I hope will get done.

Just like in Don't Count your Beer before you Drink it, Hayner is again bi-racial. Unless we ever see his parents, I can't believe otherwise. Olette and Pence's family situations are based on two people I know; the neighbor kid I baby sat and a friend who I found out was a cousin of mine through marriage.

Second, this was also suppose to have all three kids thoughts on their relationship with their parents in an AU universe all in one chapter. However, it seems it came out something else, in a sense. Roxas's own story was border lining on three pages and I was cutting stuff out to get a smaller drabble, and I knew Tera's was going to be as long from what I started with, so I broke it up into three separate stories for each kid. I still cut out stuff centering around Hayner, Pence, and Olette, but I'm saving it for another story that will center more around Roxas as a one-shot AU.

I like Xion. I was not too sure about her, but after playing and beating 358/2, I do like her. She totally fits with Roxas and Axel. On that note, and while I've read a few stories centering around it, I don't see them as a trio like I write Sora, Kairi, and Riku to be. I will support saying Roxas might have a crush on Xion, but I never saw Xion really being all cutesy all him in the similar manner. Besides, I'm still a big Axel/Roxas and 358/2 just proved to me more, especially with Xion. But, I also believe she is totally (and forgive the expression) their fag-hag. She supports their relationship: Roxas needs a good friend he can talk deep with and Xion fit's the bill well. And I never really agreed with the idea Roxas would go onto hi-jinx with Axel because Roxas seems more responsible. Days supports this. However, Xion is a little more of the adventuring type and has a willingness that Axel would be able to easily convince the girl to follow. She's their adorable little sister! I have a few drabbles ideas centering around that particular trio that I hope one day I can put up.

Continue on with that, I don't write stuff centering around Axel/Roxas as much as I want to. It is actually my favorite pairing to read about. And there is a big reason for it. Especially with the release of BbS…there is an age-gap between Axel and Roxas. It's about nine years by estimation, give or take a year depending on where one wants to place Roxas' and Axel's physical age. Of course, I believe that Roxas is a kick-ass midget and that the only reason Axel maybe top dog is because Roxas lets him (Roxas can easily break his shin if he decided to). It's a really messed-up relationship. I do not subscribe to submissive Roxas. He's sweet only to a select few people, and Axel is not always one of them. However, that's the thing that Axel loves about him. On that note Axel is not some mega-cool player. He's a rebel, to be sure, but he actually more emotionally frail, but hides it all behind passion. And I don't believe Axel is a pedophile. A couple of months ago there were a wave recently stories centering around the age difference of Roxas and Axel, with starting Roxas as a child and Axel older, but stressing that Axel simply loves Roxas. It is bizarre, but tragic and rings close and I don't know yet if I would be brave enough to write something along those lines.

That is the reason I used Lea for Axel. Unlike Sora and Roxas, Lea and Axel are more of the same person. I am not a fan of Ventus/Lea (They, after all, only met each other for a few moments), except as a springboard that originally causes Axel to be friends with Roxas. I can see a story where Lea/Axel is friends with Ven, then meets Ven's little baby brother who is a brat and romantic hi-jinks ensures later on in life.

I hope I haven't talked your ear off!