Cornered

Kingdom Hearts and its characters do not belong to me.

The first thing I want to address is the title. If you read my previous Fic Complete 180 you'll know that I asked for help deciding on a title for this. After talking to my best friend Bethany; Tabi Caracu and Alecksander92 and sorting through my ideas and suggestions I decided on Cornered.

Second thing I want to address is the nature of this story. It's AkuRoku so if you don't like yaoi I suggest you find another Fic to read. I'm rating it M due to coarse language and abuse that occurs. I don't do sex scenes. Period. I've tried my hand at them and I don't like how they turn out. No matter what I do it always turns out primal and crude even though it's not meant to be. The most you're gonna get out of me is detailed kissing.

Third, my stuff is always AU and I usually warp the characters personalities to my liking, but not extremely, so you can consider it OOC I guess.

Last thing, and this is totally unrelated to the story, if you happen to play the games HOW THE HELL DO YOU BEAT DEMYX IN HOLLOW BASTION! I'm very incompetent when it comes to video games so I fail. A lot. Usually I'm fine with doing a fight over and over until I win, but I swear if I hear him say 'Dance, water dance!' one more time I'm gonna pull my hair out! If I knew how I would totally reprogram the game so that Sora snatches the guitar out of his hand, smashes it against a rock and walked away saying 'Now that that's over with…'

Okay, enough of my rambling. Time for AkuRoku~~

"Roxas!"

A spasm of fear traveled though me when my father gruffly shouted my name as he slammed the front door behind him.

I set down the book I had been reading and got up, staring at my door warily. I opened it a crack so that I could listen.

He kicked his shoes off in the entryway, walked into the dining room and slammed his briefcase onto the table.

That's not good… He had a bad day at work…

The fridge door was opened and I heard the clinking of glass as he reached for a bottle of beer.

Straight for the beer? Scratch that. He had a horrible day at work…

I winced at the sound of the wooden chair legs being pulled back over the tile floor. He sat down with a grunt and popped off the cap of the beer.

He obviously wasn't in a good mood so I figured it was safest to hide out in my room the rest of the night. I started to quietly shut my door…

"Roxas! Get your ass out here and make me some fuckin dinner you useless piece of shit!"

"Fuck…"

That's my dad for you. He's so eloquent with his words. Always knows just the right thing to say…

I hesitated for just a second before opening my door and heading towards the kitchen. If I didn't come out he would just come after me. I know doing what he says doesn't guarantee anything, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

His face set into a grimace when I stepped into the kitchen. He took a swig of his beer and loosened his tie. His eyes never left me as I walked towards the fridge to take out something to cook.

"Hey Dad. How was work?"

Might as well try to be civil… It's never worked before but there's a first for everything…

He scoffed and took another swig of beer as I pulled out a package of thawed chicken.

"It was just fucking fantastic Roxas! You know how much I love working with brainless idiots all damn day!"

I ignored his excessive use of sarcasm and started cutting the chicken into smaller strips that would be easier to fry.

"That sucks Dad… At least you got off early today, right?"

I reached for the bag of flour on top of the fridge and winced at the pain that traveled up my side. My ribs were still a little bruised after coming home 5 minutes late last week.

"Yea, coming home early is great! More time with my boy!"

He toasted his beer towards me but the sarcasm and disappointment in his voice made the action degrading in a way.

I didn't say anything else to him after that. Talking wasn't doing anything in my favor. I just went back to cooking the chicken.

"When's my fuckin food gonna be ready!"

Why don't you learn to cook for yourself fat ass!

No! Don't get angry. It's worse when you retaliate.

"I'm working as fast as I can Dad…"

He scoffed and I knew that he was thinking it wasn't fast enough.

He tossed back the rest of his beer and got up to grab another out of the fridge. I noticed that there was only one left and that was very, very dangerous.

He finished off his second beer as I cooked and snatched the last one out of the fridge.

"We're out of beer… Roxas go to the store and buy me some more!"

I rolled my eyes and forced myself to keep my voice level.

"I can't Dad. I'm not 21 and even if I was alcohol can't be sold on Sunday. You'll have to buy some tomorrow."

He slammed his beer onto the table.

"Don't treat me like an idiot Roxas!"

I held back the chuckle that wanted to escape my lips.

"Never Dad."

I turned the burner off and took a plate out of the cabinet above the stove and started placing the chicken onto it. Then I grabbed another plate for myself and took some silverware out of a drawer before starting to walk to the table.

"What the hell's in your ear Roxas!"

I recalled the pain of the metal stabbing through the cartilage of my right ear earlier this morning. It had been a spur of the moment decision but after looking at it in the mirror constantly I realized it actually suited me.

"It's called a piercing Dad. Don't worry. It didn't cost you a thing."

It all happened so fast. My dad rocketed from his chair. The plates shattered when they hit the floor, sending glass everywhere. The forks and knives scattered around me as my knees hit the floor.

It wasn't until I was gasping on the floor curled up on my side that the pain from being punched in the stomach caught up to me.

I stared up at him in shock as he towered over me, trembling with anger at whatever had set him off.

"Don't patronize me boy! Who told you, you could go mutilate your body? Cause I sure as hell didn't! Huh! Answer me!"

I tried to push myself up off of the floor. A shard of glass pierced my hand as my father's foot came down on my leg. I cried out in pain and a deranged smile wove its way onto his face.

I scowled up at him and snarled through clenched teeth.

"What's it matter if I got a fuckin piercing! You have no problem with it when you mutilate my body!"

He brought his foot down on my leg again before kicking me in the stomach repeatedly.

"Shut up! Don't talk to me that way! Shut the fuck up!"

The fire that lit his eyes every time this happened ignited. He enjoyed this.

The salty tang of blood entered my mouth as I bit down onmy lip to prevent myself from crying out. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of hearing me endure his torment.

"That's what I thought! Don't have anything to say now do you, you little piece of shit! Get the hell out of my sight!"

He aimed a final kick to my gut before snatching his beer bottle off of the table and storming into the living room.

Once he was gone, I thrashed about; kicking at everything in reach.

"Fuck!"

I winced at the throbbing pain in my hand and yanked the shard of glass out and threw it to the floor among the others.

I lay there for a few moments, drowning in a pool of self pity before pushing myself up off of the kitchen floor; wincing at the pain that was coursing through me.

I looked at the mess on the floor in disdain. I turned away from it and wrapped my arm around my stomach as I hobbled back to my room.

I slammed the door behind me and flipped the lock. It was pointless though. My dad wouldn't have any reservations about breaking the door in. It was his house after all. He could do whatever he damn well pleased.

I collapsed onto my bed and rode out another wave of pain. Once I felt like moving, I reached over to my bedside table and took an old, folded piece of paper out of the drawer.

I unfolded the permanent creases and looked down at the words I had memorized long ago.

Roxas, I can't guarantee you'll ever read this but I'm writing it all the same. I need you to understand. Throughout my life everything was handed to me, but that all changed when I abandoned my family to be with your father. All of sudden I was expected to do things on my own. Depend on myself instead of others. I tried… but I never learned how. I wasn't ready to be a mother to you Roxas. I remember bringing you home from the hospital and you cried all day and night. I couldn't get you to stop. Nothing I did worked. I locked myself in the bathroom and covered my ears until you finally fell asleep. How was I supposed to raise you when I was still a naïve child at heart that didn't understand anything? Taking care of you, your father, and working; it all was too much for me Roxas. I tried Roxas. Believe me when I say I tried, but I was a failure as a mother Roxas. I couldn't live with myself if I was constantly going to fail you. No mother wants to be seen as a failure in her child's eyes. Taking myself out of the picture is what's best for you. I'm sure of it. You're father will take care of you. He loves you as much as I do. I love you Roxas. With all my heart. Never doubt that. Love just isn't enough sometimes.

I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to conjure a good memory of her. I couldn't. I just recalled that she had been beautiful and that she hadn't been in a stable set of mind for a while. I tear slid down my cheek and landed on the only thing I had left of my mother.

I had found it years ago in a box in the attic while I was looking for something. I knew right away that Dad had hidden it away from me. I took it and had kept it hidden in my drawer and read it every night.

I had gone years thinking that I hadn't meant anything to her. And I could never ask Dad if it were true or not. He never talked about her. Not since that night we came back from the hospital…

"Sir, you have to calm down…"

I looked up from the toy truck I was playing with in the hospital lobby at the sound of Daddy yelling.

"Whatcha doing Roxas?"

I turned to look at the nurse talking to me. I remembered she was nice cause she had given me candy.

"Playing with this truck! The nice police officer gave it to me to play with… Why is Daddy yelling at him? The police officer is nice. Why's Daddy being mean?"

She looked over at them before smiling at me.

"Your Daddy's just upset right now. He's not trying to be mean."

"I will not calm down! My wife's dead! That child killed her!"

The nice nurse frowned before taking my hand.

"Did you like the candy from earlier? I know where there's a whole bowl of it just for you!"

The nurse's promise of candy was the only thing on my mind as we walked away.

"Sir, I understand you're upset but you mustn't blame your son. I just got done talking to the doctor. Your wife hasn't been stable for a few months now. This note was found on her person."

"…See! She says so herself! That child was too much for her! It's his fault she's dead! That child's a monster!"

I looked back at Daddy as I popped the candy into my mouth.

"What's wrong with Daddy? Why's he crying?"

She looked back at them again and patted my head.

"Nothing sweetie."

"Sir, I understand that this is difficult for you but blaming your son isn't the answer. Nor is it healthy for you or your son. If you honestly feel that way… I can take him into the states custody. He's a bright, healthy young boy. He could easily find a family willing to adopt him…"

"You've lost your damn mind if you think you're going to take my son away from me! He's the only thing I have left of her!"

He walked over to me and lifted me into his arms.

"We're going home!"

I smiled at the nice nurse and waved.

"Bye!"

Daddy was silent the whole way home. It didn't bother me though. I was used to Daddy not saying anything while I talked. It was always Mommy that listened and talked with me.

We stepped into the house and started to head to my room before a thought struck me.

"Daddy? Where's Mommy? I haven't seen her since she fell asleep earlier."

Daddy fell to his knees and pushed me against the wall.

"Daddy? What's wrong?"

"Gone… She's gone… And it's all because of you! It's all your fucking fault!"

His grip on my arms tightened and it started to hurt. Spit hit my face as he yelled at me. I was scared.

"I don't understand… Daddy let go!"

No matter how much I screamed, he wouldn't let go. He just kept gripping my arms tighter and tighter.

"Daddy! Stop it! You're hurting me!"

I didn't know what else to do so I started kicking at him.

"Good! You deserve to hurt for killing your mother! Apologize!"

I didn't understand. Mommy's dead? I killed her? How?

"Apologize!"

I felt his finger nails cut into my arms and I screamed at how bad it hurt.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry Daddy! Please stop!"

Snot and tears blended together as they streamed down my face.

I had seen monsters on TV but right now Daddy was a real monster. I was afraid of Daddy.

I had been much too young to understand that my mom had been mentally ill for a year. Much too young to understand that she was planning on killing herself. Much too young to know that the candies I thought she had been eating were actually the pills that killed her. Much too young to understand that the 'child' my father was referring to was me. Much too young to understand why he blamed me. Much too young to understand why I went to bed terrified of my father for the first time in my life…

I snapped back to the present when I heard my father's bedroom door slam shut.

I tiptoed over to the wall and waited until I heard the springs of his mattress squeak before going back to my bed and sliding under the covers and waiting for sleep to overcome me.

This was how my life was. How it had been since that night. Cornered. Trapped. A prisoner in my own home. Bound by fear and unable to break free.

So that's the first chapter! I I couldn't stop working on it and I finished it so I figured I might as well upload it. I like how it turned out even though I only spent 2 days on it. What do you guys think? I wanna know before I start the second chapter. I don't wanna slave over this if people hate it.

Reviews please. :O)

Okay, so if you've read my previous stuff you know that I update at lightning speed. Well that won't be the case with this story. Usually I spend a month drawing my story and writing rough drafts before editing and then finally uploading the chapters. Well that's not how it's happening this time. I have no idea where this story is going or how it's going to end. Hell, I barely know what's happening in the next chapter. So just be patient with me and I'll get it up as fast I possibly can.

In other news~~

Upside about today: I hung out with band and orchestra friends from high school.

Downside about today: I LOST THE GAME! Over and over and over again. If you play the game I'm sorry. If you don't just ignore this.