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Aquaphobia	By : TasogareNoRaikou Category: Kingdom Hearts > Slash/Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1020 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I do own the storyline, so please don’t steal! I don't write for money, this is just for fun.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
Aquaphobia

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I do own the storyline, so please don’t steal!

Warnings: Yaoi, violence, death…

Spoilers: If you have not played KH2 some of the characters might be new to you.

Pairings: Roxas:x:???, Zack:x:???, Yuffie:x:Kairi

Plot: Roxas is a mess. His sister haunts him, he has no memories of his past, and he has an intense fear of water. Time heals all wounds, but will his new friendships and a newfound love truly conquer Roxas’ Aquaphobia? Or will he be haunted by his sister forever?
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Chapter One: Waist Deep

There was the sensation of falling; that rush of adrenaline when your heart jumps up to your throat and you brace yourself for impact. Blue engulfed the frame of the car, water filling up the front then making its way back until there was nothing but a small pocket of air pressed against the ceiling. It was cold, consuming; the seatbelt hot against his skin where it had jerked against his neck and chest upon hitting the surface of the water. He struggled out of it frantically, the metal of the lock slapping hard against his forearm as it came undone, the boy’s heartbeat pounding in his ears. He tilted his head up; gasping in the air still remaining near the roof, then dove back down and searched through the car. The others must have made it out already, their seats vacant of bodies living or dead. He pushed through the water, using the seats as leverage, and crawled out of the shattered glass of the front windshield, cutting his legs as he kicked free of the sinking vessel.
The water was murky, more green than blue now that his eyes had adjusted to the sight. He looked above him for the surface and saw only the faraway flicker of light. He was so far down, too far down. He kicked at the water, arms moving to help quicken his ascent, eyes darting through the foggy blue for any sign of his family. There was the sound of a clock ticking, sharp and definite, chiming slowly in his ears as he swam through the water, deafening in its presence. He turned around, spotting a flash of gold. He kicked towards it, reaching out to grab it, fingers stretching until he felt something soft against his skin. Another hand.
He intertwined their fingers, pulling the body towards the surface with him, his lungs burning for air. They were so far away, and everything felt so heavy. The sun streaming down through the water gave off just enough light to frame the face of the one he was clinging to. His sister, her golden yellow hair flowing around her like silk, the pink and white watch he’d given her for her birthday ticking soundlessly on her wrist, gold filigree across the face spelling out her name. Naminé. The further he tried to pull her, the heavier he felt, the further the light seemed, and the more his chest burned. They weren’t going to make it; they would drown beneath the water together…
Suddenly she reached up and took his wrist, air bubbles cascading out of her mouth as she tried to say something, tried to pry his hand away. He clung to her, searching her peony-blue eyes and screaming at her, the last of his air escaping his lungs.
“I won’t leave you!”
Her eyes softened, small pale fingers clasping his hand and bringing it to her face so that he cupped her cheek. She held his gaze for an eternity, then she let go, her body twitching as water filled her lungs. The light in her eyes faded, and Roxas was left alone under the water.
-x-x-x-
Roxas gasped, sitting up in bed, the sheets twisted around him sticky with sweat. Trembling he threw the sheets off of him and moved to the edge of the mattress, panting as he tried to catch his breath, as he tried to convince himself he was above water, and that there was still air to breathe. A few minutes passed before he moved to touch his face, wiping the sweat from his forehead and cheeks, the remnants of salty tears still lingering there. Every night he relived that moment, the moment he had lost his family, and had watched his sister drown before his eyes. He had been so young, she had died so young…they had so much life to live, so much more to share before she was taken away. It was all he could think about. He lived her death.
It wasn’t his fault really. If he had good memories of her, of his family, he would have much rather dreamed them instead. All he had was that last memory of her. Everything before the crash was a blur to him, a chaotic ball of light and sound he had no way of sorting through. Even now, three years later, his life before her death was a mystery to him. No matter how many stories he heard or how many picture albums he looked through nothing sparked a memory. It was like looking at someone else’s life, and he just happened to be in the pictures.
Sighing, his pulse calmed to its normal rate, Roxas stood from his bed and made his way to the bathroom. He might as well get ready for school, it wasn’t like he would be able to go back to sleep. Pulling the shower curtain back slightly he turned the knob, letting the water warm while he stripped down and turned towards the mirror. The scars were still there, they were every morning when he looked at himself, but they still startled him despite the time that had passed. A large star-shaped scar was planted in the middle of his forearm, right over the main vein running along the inside of his arm. The lock of the seatbelt had broken during the crash, and when Roxas had released it the jagged metal had carved a chunk out of his flesh. The water had been murky from his blood, turning the pristine blue a dull green. The cuts he’d received on the front and side of his legs, along with the right side of his hip when he had swam through the windshield had healed but had scarred badly.. The scars were long and deep, pale pink and clearly visible against his slightly tanned skin. Pale or tan, nothing seemed to hide the marks. They were a constant reminder to him of her. She haunted him every moment of his waking and unconscious life.
The shower was quick, hurried even, as it was every morning. His fear of water was stressful enough to interfere with his daily life, and it was a common topic in his shrink sessions. It was irrational really; Roxas knew how to swim, he had been an accomplished competitive swimmer in middle school and the first two years of high school. He had also been the only one to survive the crash, proving he could make it out of the water if need be…but he couldn’t bear it. The water retained the touch of her hand, that soft smile, and the slow chill of death in her eyes. The water was fear, and sadness, and loss. The water was Naminé.
Roxas dressed himself quickly, pausing only to spike his blonde hair and grab his backpack before heading out the door. He hated his apartment; it was quiet and dark and made him feel even more alone than he already did. Though the college wasn’t open yet he set off towards the school, the horizon just barely hinting at the rising sun. It was cool and breezy, the autumn air rustling his hair and fluttering his hoodie and sweatpants as he jogged towards his destination. The running course used by the track team, his early morning pass-time.
He reached the college in little under a half hour, throwing his backpack down against a bench and stripping off his hoodie. He would be cold at first in nothing but sweats and a thin t-shirt but running would warm him up. He pulled his iPod from the front of his backpack and tucked his earbuds in his ears, then took off around the track. Roxas didn’t know the artists or the names of the songs, but he knew Naminé would. It was her iPod after all. He ran mindlessly, listening to the songs his sister once listened to, memorizing lyrics and wondering what they had meant to her. He wanted to know her, wanted to remember her so badly. She had been a dancer, and a singer. He wondered what her voice had sounded like, what she had said to him under the water that last time…
The track team showed up after about an hour, but they were used to him by now. Roxas had been running the track in the early morning since he’d stopped swimming his junior year of high school. Now, as a freshman in college, he was a regular. One of the older boys, a red-headed senior, clapped him on the shoulder as he ran past, Roxas smiling at him lightly. Reno had been one of the first to befriend him when he’d started running, and always spoke to him when he got the chance. Reno and another senior, Zack, were the captains of the track team. They had given Roxas permission to run anytime he liked, and now that he was a freshman he’d been offered a place on the team. Roxas hadn’t made up his mind yet.
A moment later Zack was at his side, Roxas pulling his earbuds out of his ears and looking up at the older boy. “Getting chilly, isn’t it?” The senior asked, violet eyes shining, his long, dark hair pulled back in a ponytail.
“Yeah, winter will come early this year.” The blonde replied, smiling at the other in a friendly manner. “I can’t wait for the first snow.” Zack smiled at him, pausing noticeably. Roxas shook his head. “I haven’t decided. I’m sorry it’s taking so long.”
Laughing lightly, the older boy replied, “It’s alright, we’re just curious is all. You’ve been coming here every day to run for what, the past two and a half years?” He looked over his shoulder. “Reno’s just wondering when you’re gonna give in and join us already.”
“Hey, don’t act like it’s all me!” The red-head scoffed as he passed them again. “The whole damn team’s been asking us if you’ve said yes yet.” The group of runners he passed laughed and looked back at Roxas, one waving while the others smiled.
Roxas smiled back, looking up at Zack again, “You said if I join the team I have to go to swim practice too, right?”
Zack nodded. “Yeah, once or twice a week after the gym. It helps reduce muscle strain and relax you, and doing laps helps with your endurance runs.”
Nodding, the blonde slowed to a walk, Zack slowing down with him and staying by his side. “Yeah…I’m sorry, I just can’t do that. I’d love to run with you guys, but I know as a member of the track team I have to follow the training guidelines…and swimming just isn’t an option for me.”
Tilting his head, Zack replied softly, “Reno said something to me about that. Is it because you don’t know how to swim?”
Roxas hesitated then shook his head. “It’s not that, I used to be on the swim team in high school…” He sighed, walking off the track to the bench where his backpack was laid against, stretching out his legs and arms to cool his muscles down as Zack watched him. “I just can’t be around water anymore.”
Sensing it wasn’t something Roxas really wanted to talk about, the senior nodded. “Well I won’t press you on the matter. Just know there’s always a spot open for you if you change your mind, alright?”
Smiling up at the older boy, the blonde nodded in return. “Thanks, Zack. I appreciate it.”
Reno ran by a moment later, taking Zack’s arm and pulling him back onto the track. “Come on, captain, you’re not done with your laps by a long shot!”
Laughing at one another the two boys took off around the track, leaving Roxas to himself. Resting for a moment before gathering his things Roxas walked across the lawn to the entrance of the school, heading across the interior of the building to the locker rooms. He needed a shower before classes started.
He stripped in the showers, washed quickly, and pulled a clean set of clothes out of his backpack, changing into jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt. He spiked his hair again, sprayed on some cologne, then pulled on his shoes and hoodie and set off towards the English building. Most of his classes this semester were centered around English, and at the Art building across the courtyard by the college library. His major was still undecided but he knew he wanted to do something involving literature or the arts. He just hadn’t decided what.
Classes came and went, Roxas piling his books and homework into his backpack and heading towards the main building housing the bookstore and food courts. Demyx, Zexion, and Sora were there to greet him at their usual hangout point under a large tree outside of the main food court. Since the four boys had met at the beginning of the semester they had become good friends, Sora and Demyx his fellow freshmen while Zexion was already a sophomore.
The brunette waved him over when he noticed Roxas, grinning around his slice of pizza and motioning to the other two boys. Demyx was scarfing down a fruit salad while Zexion strummed on his guitar, the two boys looking up at Sora’s excited motions and waving as well. “Well if it isn’t our favorite artist!” Zexion said, smiling up at the blonde. “Come join us, Sora ordered an entire pizza.” He eyeballed the brunette, who was smiling over at him innocently. “It’s spicy chicken, olives, and pineapple. I’m sure you’ll enjoy.”
“Sounds…interesting?” Roxas replied with a smile, sitting down next to the younger freshman.
“I was just trying to make everyone happy.” Sora said after swallowing a mouthful, looking over at Roxas with a pout. “I know you and Demyx like pineapple, and Zexion likes spicy chicken, and I like olives…”
Laughing, the blonde replied, “It’s fine, Sora. I’ll give you my olives and you can give me your pineapple. It’ll be like a spicy Hawaiian style or something.”
“See! At least someone’s appreciative!” The younger said, sticking his tongue out at Zexion, who rolled his eyes and smiled.
Demyx, up-righting his bowl and slurping the juice out of the bottom, finished his fruit salad with a gasp. “Oh my god. So good. I want another one!”
“Ah, the joys of being a vegetarian…” Zexion said airily, “…for the past 48 hours.”
The dirty blonde cut his eyes over at his friend, grinning wickedly. “That just means more pizza for you, Zexi.”
Sora made an upset sound while Zexion gagged, Roxas laughing and pulling out his homework, then reaching for a slice of pizza. At the other boy’s silence he looked up to see all eyes watching him, waiting for a reaction. “It’s really not that bad, you know. After all, it’s free pizza.”
“I know!” the brunette said smiling victoriously. “They’re so picky, the girls…”
“Who you callin’ a chick, spikey?!” Demyx retorted, reaching over and pulling the younger boy’s cheek.
Zexion smiled, going back to strumming his guitar, and Roxas returned to his pizza and homework, trying not to think too much about the track team. It had been on his mind since Reno had asked him, but now that Zack had asked him about it again it was really bugging him. He wanted to run, he did. He wanted more friendships like those he shared with his artsy friends, and he liked Reno and Zack and the boys on the team…but his Aquaphobia wasn’t something he could control. Aquaphobia, by definition, was an abnormal and persistent fear of water. It was a specific phobia that involved a level of fear beyond the sufferer's control, and that fear could grow to interfere with daily life. Roxas’ problems with showering and bathtubs was evidence enough of that, and his constant anxiety about swimming.
For a long time Roxas didn’t understand it, he knew what had happened had freaked him out and deeply affected him, but all evidence of the life he couldn’t remember showed that he had loved to swim. He had so many pictures, metals, trophies; so many memories lost to the dark recesses of his mind. His shrink, Aerith, had explained it to him once. “People suffer from Aquaphobia in many ways and may experience it even though they realize the water in an ocean, a river, or even a bathtub poses no imminent threat. It’s fear, Roxas. It’s irrational, but it’s something that you can conquer over time with help from friends and therapy.” She had smiled at him softly, her long auburn braid tied back with a pink ribbon. “Those who suffer from Aquaphobia may avoid swimming in deep water despite having mastered basic swimming skills, so just because you know how to swim, and you know how to survive in the water, doesn’t mean your fear will allow you to get anywhere near a situation like that. It doesn’t have to be something like the ocean, it can be something as safe as a swimming pool, but if your Aquaphobia flares up your mind will lock your body up with fear, and it won’t let you get anywhere close.”
Roxas had tested that theory once before. It had been at a friend’s house his junior year of high school for a birthday party. He hadn’t wanted to get in the pool, but there had been a hot tub at the far edge of the patio that seemed harmless enough. He had sat on the edge, letting his feet and legs adjust to the water, and when he had readied himself to actually enter the hot tub his body wouldn’t move. All he could do was stare into the bubbling water, his heartbeat pounding in his ears, before he forced himself out of the hot tub, back onto the deck, and ran inside. He’d nearly hyperventilated in panic.
He sighed to himself, letting his pencil drop between his textbook and shoving his homework to the side. He didn’t want to ask either of the captains for special permission regarding anything, or not have to do something all his teammates were required to do; he wanted to be a part of the team…to be one of them. And in order to do that he would have to figure out a way to overcome his fears and go to swim practice. He looked up, eyes trailing from Sora, to Demyx, then to Zexion. He’d never told them about his family, about the crash, or about Naminé. Starting college was so fresh and new, and his friends liked him so well, he didn’t want to bring up his dark past and drag them down into it. He’d have to do this without them, but…how?
-x-x-x-
Roxas stood at the entrance to the gym, taking a deep breath and stepping inside. It was late afternoon, almost nightfall, and there were several people in the workout rooms hanging out and talking softly to one another. The radio played over the speaker system, some rock band Roxas didn’t recognize. Naminé liked softer music, Indie and alternative, so he didn’t listen to rock that much. Shifting the strap of his duffle bag higher on his shoulder he walked past the workout rooms down the hall and to the right, stopping at a desk and showing the girl there his college ID. She smiled at him, handed him a couple of towels, and waved him on. Stilling his beating heart he walked past her to the changing rooms, disappearing inside. The tile was cold even through his flip-flops, Roxas walking past the showers to the lockers and choosing one near the door to the pool. He stripped down to his swim trunks, grabbed a towel and shoved everything else in the locker. His flip-flops echoed through the room as he stepped up to the door, reached out a trembling hand, and slid the weighted gate open. The smell of chlorine filled his senses, the air damp and silent. There were several girls at the deep end of the pool, laughing and splashing one another as they took turns off the diving board. Roxas swallowed, taking a moment to calm himself, and then walked towards the shallow end, eyeing the too-blue water. He kicked off his sandals, laid his towel across the arm of a chair, and stood there looking at the pool. The shallow end was three and a half feet deep, about waist level, whereas the deep end looked to be about twelve feet. The water there was a deeper blue, gradually fading to a lighter aqua as it reached the shallow end. He reached up, touching his right hip, fingers flitting over the claw-like scars there. Waist deep. He could do this.
He took a step forward and a cold shiver passed through his entire body, fingers trembling as he reached up to run a hand through his spikes. He’d just stick his feet in, that’s all he needed to do today. Not a big deal at all. The shallow end had a small series of steps leading into the water with a hand-rail resting in the middle. The first step was only a few inches under the surface. He reached out and clasped a fist around the cold metal bar, sticking his toes into the water. It was warm, as if the pool was slightly heated. It felt good against his chilled skin. He took another step in, stepping down into the water so it was up to his ankles. The next step went half-way up his calf, and the next reached his knee. He hadn’t realize he was breathing hard until he noticed how silent the echoing enclosure had become, looking up to see the girls were out of the pool and walking towards the changing rooms, watching him with curiosity. I must look like such an idiot…
He waited until the girls were gone, then shakily sat down on the next step up, sighing and letting his reeling mind calm, threading his fingers through the water absently. He sat there for a small eternity, thinking about how calm and safe the water seemed, before the sound of a door opening interrupted his thoughts and a group of two boys and a girl walked in, the girl laughing and shoving the boy next to her before walking towards the water.
“No no, Olette. You can’t just walk in. You gotta make a spash!” The boy said, his ash-blonde hair a ruffled mess. “Show her how it’s done, Pence.”
The chubby boy at his side grinned, his cheeks curving around his smile, his dark brown hair held back by a black and white headband. He cleared his through seriously, cracked his knuckles, then ran towards the middle of the pool while shouting, “Cannon ball!”
The girl, who was wading into the pool beside Roxas, covered her face with her arms before Pence hit the water. Roxas was not so lucky, getting a face-full and mouthful of pool water. Sputtering he wiped his face and pushed his hair out of his eyes, cracking an eye open to glare over at the hefty boy. Pence, spotting Roxas’ disgruntled look, grinned and said apologetically, “Sorry, man. Thought we were the only ones here.”
“Boys, honestly.” Olette said, huffing and tossing her long brown hair over her shoulder, her one-piece orange swimsuit clinging to her body now that she was wet. “Must you be so juvenile? We’re in college after all.”
“Meh, we’re freshman.” The first boy said, winking at her. “College maturity hasn’t kicked in yet.” As she rolled her eyes he ran towards the pool and jumped in, sending water everywhere.
“Hayner!” she shouted, coughing and swatting at the boy as he surfaced.
He fended her off half-heartedly, and then looked over at Roxas. “Hey, you want to play Marco Polo or something?”
“Nah, I’m fine. Thanks.” Roxas replied, smiling lightly and trying to calm his nerves. Getting splashed the first time had been bad enough, but the second time had set him on edge. It reminded him of the wave rushing through the car, the water smacking him so suddenly in the face, shocking his senses and sending him into a panic…
The three played together for a while, Pence and Hayner taking turns tossing Olette into the deep end, and then wrestling one another in the shallow water. Eventually the dark-haired girl swam over and sat next to Roxas, watching her two friends roughhouse with a smirk. “Intelligent, aren’t they?”
The blonde laughed lightly, replying, “As long as they’re having fun it’s alright, right?”
“I guess so.” She replied with a soft laugh, looking up at him. “Are you waiting for someone?”
Roxas looked over at her, his blue eyes meeting her green. “N-no, I’m by myself. Just thinking, not really going to swim or anything.”
“Ah, I know what you mean. The water can be really soothing and thought provoking. At home I like sitting on the beach and reading, letting the tide roll in around my feet.” Smiling, she added at Roxas’ silence, “Hayner and Pence, they’re nice, once you get to know them.”
He looked over at her and shook his head, “Sorry, it’s not that really. I really am just lost in my own little world.”
“Olette! Come swim some more!” Hayner called from the middle of the pool, the two boys looking over at her and Roxas.
Standing to her feet, she replied, “Just a sec! I’m going to call Selphie and see where the others are at!” Hayner waved her off, Pence whistling cat-calls at her as she walked back towards the changing rooms. The boys went back to splashing one another and wrestling, leaving Roxas to his own devices.
Roxas watched the two boys play together with a sigh. They were just roughhousing, nothing dangerous, and they were staying in relatively shallow water… Reaching up to grip the beam beside him, and then stood up and took another step into the water so he was actually standing in the pool. He hesitated a moment, letting his mind and body adjust, and then let go of the hand-rail. His heartbeat pounding in his chest, Roxas waited for the cosmos to explode, but when they didn’t and his pulse quieted to a dull pounding drum, the blonde took a step further into the shallow water. The base of the pool in the shallow end was completely level until middle of the pool, but then it began a steady descent into the deep end. Roxas was safe in the shallow water, he wasn’t panicking, he wasn’t having flashbacks, and given all accounts he was doing pretty okay. Hayner and Pence swam over to him, introducing themselves and asking about his classes with friendly smiles. Their talk distracted him from the water, and he slowly began to relax. Olette returned a few minutes later.
“Hey! Selphie said she and the girls are on their way.”
“Was Axel coming?” Pence asked, squeezing his hands together and squirting her with water.
She shoved him lightly then replied, “I think so. Kairi and Yuffie are coming so they’ll probably drag him along too.”
“That girl has him on a frickin’ leash.” Hayner said, crossing his arms over his chest.
Laughing lighting, Olette turned to Roxas. “We all have this thing about swimming at night and playing Marco Polo. You’ll have to forgive us, it gets rather repetitive if you’re watching and not playing.”
“Why wouldn’t he play?” Hayner asked, reaching over and nudging Roxas. “You can join in, you’re cool enough.”
“I don’t know about that.” Roxas said with a laugh, “But I’ll stay for a while, watch you guys play. It’s not like I have anywhere else to be…” …and maybe being around these guys will help me get over my fear of water, and I’ll actually swim for the first time in three years…
-x-x-x-
The others arrived about twenty minutes later, Olette stepping out of the pool to greet her friends. There were four girls and a boy; Hayner and Pence identified them as they walked over to the pool.
“The older girl is Larxene, and that’s Selphie.” Hayner said, pointing to the tall, lean blonde and then the brunette beside her. “The dark-headed one is Yuffie, and the red-head she’s with is Kairi.”
“Axel’s the boy with them.” Pence added, grinning. “He’s Kairi’s cousin. She drags him around everywhere, since she’s still too young to drive.”
“They’re freshmen?” Roxas asked, waving as Olette pointed towards him, apparently noting him to the new arrivals.
“Larxene and Axel are juniors.” Hayner replied. “The other three are freshies, we have classes together.”
“Yeah, I’m a freshman too.” Roxas said, watching as the others began making their way into the water. “This campus is so big; I guess we just haven’t bumped into one another before.”
Olette waded back over to them, Hayner pulling her close and backing into deeper water, the girl giggling and kicking her feet, splashing Pence and Roxas lightly.
“Come on, let’s play chicken or something!” Yuffie said, pumping her fist in the air, her short black hair curving against her cheeks and her chocolate almond eyes dancing.
The girl at her side giggled, long magenta hair thrown over her shoulders as she put a hand on her hip. “No way, last time I won and you cried like a baby.”
Yuffie looked over at her, scoffing lightly, “I was fake crying, duh.”
“Sounded real to me.” Larxene said from behind them, grinning impishly at the shorter girl.
“Nah, bet you she got it from some drama club rehearsal.” Axel said, the boy walking past the girls towards the deep end, smiling at Roxas. “They teach you how to fake everything.”
“Yeah, Axel, tell us about faking it, would ya?” Yuffie teased, “How long did you go before you came out of the closet? Twenty years?”
He looked over his shoulder with a smile, retorting, “How long did it take you Yuffie? Eighteen?”
“Seventeen, thank you.” She said, splashing the red-headed boy. “You should know; you were there after all.”
Roxas, who at first had thought the two were joking, blinked at the girl’s response. Was she saying she was a lesbian, and Axel was gay? He watched the boy swim over to Hayner and Olette, lifting the girl up out of the water and tossing her into the deep end as she squealed. He couldn’t be gay; he was tall, lean, muscular, and radiated testosterone. Roxas watched him curiously, trying to pick up anything on his gay-dar. Zexion was gay, but he played guitar, wore makeup, and liked to shop day and night…which seemed nothing at all like the tall red-headed boy before him. Cat green eyes looked up a moment later, Roxas blushing lightly and turning away from the other boy’s gaze.
Kairi, Selphie and Larxene were lounging in the shallow end gossiping to one another while Pence hoisted Yuffie onto his shoulders, wading through the water to Axel, Hayner, and Olette. “I call cat fight with Olette!” Yuffie cheered happily, pointing at the other girl. “You are so going down! Pick your mount wisely.”
Olette looked between Hayner and Axel, and then said apologetically to the ash-blonde, “Axel is taller than you…”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m sure Kairi would have picked me…” the boy said, crossing his arms over his chest and pretending to pout.
“That’s because Kairi doesn’t want her cousin’s head between her legs!” Yuffie said with a laugh, Axel rolling his eyes at her before lifting the brunette to his shoulders and helping her get her balance.
“I would have picked you too, Hayner.” Selphie said with a giggle. “Axel’s too tall for me, I feel like a giraffe when I’m perched on his shoulders.”
Yuffie reached out and let Olette hold on to her, laughing at the other girl’s lack of balance. “You know I’m not any good at this, Yuffie…”
“You’re too top heavy!” the petite girl replied, her short, damp hair sticking to her cheeks. “Look at these things! What cup size are you now?”
“Yuffie!” Kairi exclaimed. “Not appropriate!”
“Oh right, sorry love.” She said, turning from the magenta-haired girl and sticking her tongue out at the brunette before her. “I’m just kidding Olette. Your boobs are fine.”
Kairi put her palm over her face, blushing furiously. “She’s so embarrassing.”
“You two are cute together,” Selphie giggled, “has she talked you into dressing up for the Halloween Party yet?”
“I’m not dressing up like a dominatrix for the college costume party! They take pictures you know! My parents are already freaking out about everything as it is…”
“I just want to see Yuffie dressed up as a sex slave, equipped with a spiked collar and cat ears.” Larxene said with a devious grin. “You walking her around on a leash is just another amusing perk.”
“Oh god,” Kairi said, looking over at her with wide indigo eyes, “My cousin’s been talking to you, hasn’t he.”
The blonde grinned, but didn’t reply, turning her teal blue eyes towards Roxas. “You’re a freshman, right?”
“Y-yeah…” Roxas replied, walking through the water to the group of girls.
“What’s your major?” Selphie asked, her green eyes smiling at him.
“I haven’t decided yet,” the blonde boy replied, “I want to do something with the arts.”
He allowed himself to sink a bit further into the water, settling beside the brunette as she asked him about the art department, revealing that she like to splatter paint in her free time. “It’s so messy but I love it. I like doing it by hand or throwing darts at paint-filled balloons. It’s really fun.”
“That’s really cool.” The boy replied, smiling and nodding. “I’m more into sketching than painting, but I’ll have to try that sometime.”
“Look!” Larxene said, pointing towards the middle of the pool. Yuffie and Olette were wrestling one another atop the boy’s shoulders, Hayner watching like a referee between the two towers. “Ten bucks says Olette pulls her hair.”
“Ten bucks says Yuffie doesn’t have enough hair for her to pull, but Olette will win anyway.” Kairi giggled, cupping her hand around her mouth. “Get her, babe! Show her who’s boss!”
Yuffie looked over, cheesing a grin, Olette choosing that exact moment to reach over and shove both of the smaller girl’s shoulders, knocking both her and Pence backwards with a splash. They both came up sputtering, Pence reaching over and pulling Yuffie’s head above water until she caught her breath. “Conspiring against me now?” she screeched, looking over at Kairi and the other girls. “Traitors!”
Larxene sighed. “Guess I owe you ten bucks.”
Kairi started giggling uncontrollably, Larxene rolling her eyes and Selphie waving at her. “We love you, Yuu!”
“Yeah, yeah…” the girl muttered, sweeping her hair out of her eyes. “Just you wait…”
Axel ducked down in the water, Olette slipping off of his shoulders and swimming over to Yuffie. Hayner immediately pulled Axel into a headlock and dunked the taller boy under the water, the older boy reaching up an arm and dunking the blonde as he resurfaced. The two broke apart, Axel wringing out his long, spiked red hair while Hayner shook out his short ash-blonde locks. “I say it’s time for the main event!” Hayner said, looking towards the shallow end. “Get over here girls, middle of the pool!”
Sighing, Larxene motioned for the others to follow and waded towards the middle of the pool, everyone except Roxas swimming after her. The blonde boy backed out of the shallow water and sat down on the bottom step, everything below his lower abs under water, keeping him pleasantly warm. He watched the group of friends gather together in the middle of the pool, Hayner, Yuffie, Larxene, and Axel playing rock-paper-scissors to see who would be the first “Marco”. Larxene won, the blonde girl smiling impishly and covering her eyes with her hands, Axel taking her by the shoulders as everyone swam off towards the edges of the pool. When the others were a respectable distance away, he spun the girl around, careful not to dunk her under while he did so. He released her then swam away before she stopped spinning, the girl reaching out into the water to steady herself, eyes clenched shut. “Marco!” she chanted, her voice echoing off the walls.
Responses of “Polo” echoed in response, bouncing off of the glass walls and domed ceiling. Larxene swam towards the side of the pool, right towards Yuffie and Kairi. The two girls giggled and squealed, swimming away from their pursuer, the older girl latching onto the side of the pool before calling out again. The game went on for a while, Larxene eventually catching Kairi, who then caught Hayner, who had waded so far into the shallow end he nearly caught Roxas. They called it quits after a while, the sky pitch black outside the windows as they checked the time. It was late, and they all had school tomorrow. The boys headed to their changing room first, Hayner and Pence laughing and shoving one another playfully as Axel followed after them, shaking his head. He glanced back at Roxas, who was still sitting on the steps in the shallow end, holding his gaze for a moment before turning to follow after his friends. The girls took a bit longer, gathering their things and heading towards their changing room in a group, Larxene and Selphie ahead, Kairi, Yuffie and Olette behind.
Roxas sighed, pulling himself out of the water and walking up the steps carefully. The tile floor was slick and wet where the water had splashed past the lip of concrete surrounding the pool. He gathered his flip-flops and towel in his hands, turning from the pool towards the door leading into the changing rooms with a smile. He had spent all night in the water, even going so far as to wade waist deep, which was far more than he’d ever done since the crash. Maybe he would be able to do this after all…
The room leading to the girl’s changing room burst open a moment later, Yuffie trotting past him towards the shallow end, saying exasperatedly at Roxas’ confused look, “Kairi forgot her sandals, as usual.”
He smiled at the girl, turning away from the pool, listening to the sound of her shuffling about, and then running back towards the door to the girl’s changing room. She let out a sudden gasp, the sound of skin slapping against tile echoing in his ears, Roxas turning around just in time to see her slip and fall against the lip of the pool and crack her head, falling unconsciously into the deep end of the pool. Time froze, and Roxas felt as if his heart had stopped. A sudden image of Naminé smiling at him flashed through his mind…then an image of the lifelessness in her eyes as she twitched in the water as liquid filled her lungs…
Kairi stepped out of the changing room to look for Yuffie right as the dark-headed girl slipped into the water, dropping her towel and reaching up to her face, screaming, “Yuffie!”
Axel appeared a millisecond later, darting from the changing room with wide eyes, “Kairi, what…”
Roxas’ feet moved before he could think about what he was doing, racing to the side of the pool, arching his arms out before him and diving into the water. He wouldn’t let her drown again, not this time.
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Aquaphobia is an actual phobia, and the way I described it is accurate according to everything I’ve read. Why did they crash? What happened to their parents? How did Roxas survive? What will happen to Yuffie? Will Roxas really be able to save her despite his intense fear of water?

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Aquaphobia