Kingdom Hearts: World Keeper [Re:Joined]

Grief

Which would be the most appropriate words to use? Staring at this young boy who anticipates a positive response, Master Xehanort is unable to give him any answer in the first place. His stomach twists. The old man cannot deny how sick he feels. Or hide it.

"Still no sign?", Davis repeats his question as soon as Master properly steps out of Viola's room. Shaking his head. He can't bear to look into Davis' eyes. Feeling this pain deep inside of his heart. This poor soul lost his father and almost his sister on the same day. Of course Xehanort couldn't keep Markus' passing from him. As much as he wanted to.

Davis has spent most of his time by himself lately. Although it seems his father's death does not bother him as much as Viola's condition. Sometimes Lady Mava and her brothers try their best to cheer him up. He has lived with them for two years, one would assume they know how to do it. Master once told Davis that he could approach him anytime he needs anything. Currently, this is all Xehanort can do. Owes Viola that.

Viola... the Master checks on her almost every hour. Sometimes her lips would be dry, so he makes sure to give her water. Each time he enters her room, this tiny thought of hope sparks inside of his heart. This thought that she might sit there, look over to the door surprised and smile at him. But it does not happen. As he runs his hands over her arms and notices how cold she is again, he changes her position a little and covers her up with a weighted blanket. A spontaneous buy from the girls.

Her brother knocks on the door each time he wants to ask how she is. Not wanting to see her like that. Understandably so. It saddens the master to only be able to give him negative answers. Davis will sigh and leave without saying anything. Like just now. Sometimes when Master Xehanort spends time holding her hand and talking to her, the others would come in. They were perplexed at first, but then understood what he was doing. Maybe she can hear them. Wherever her consciousness may be.

Sora once sat down next to the master. He was pouting for the longest time and waited for a story from Xehanort's past to be finished. Master remembers glimpsing over to Sora for a second before removing a small strand of hair on her cheek.

"Wherever her heart is, I hope she isn't all alone."
Master shook his head and Sora's eyes began to widen. "Her heart still resides within her."
Then he scratched the back of his head as he blushed: "I thought it's the same as Kairi back then. So her heart is sleeping? Like in Ventus' case?"
"I wish I could answer any of your questions."

Sora soon sighed and leaned over towards his unconscious friend. Gently taking and caressing over her cold hand. It was silent for minutes before he finally spoke: "Happy birthday, Vi. I hope we get to celebrate this with you soon."
The boy's sweet, calm tone invoke a new side. A side Xehanort failed to discover before. It wasn't just Sora's soothing whisper, it was also the sight of the boy carefully lifting her hand in front of his lips.

Right. March tenth. How old has she become? Nineteen? They all could've celebrated the same way they celebrated Davis', but things turned out differently. It has been four days since the incident that day, of course Master was unwilling to overreact. "I will buy her favorite cake, right after she wakes."

Sora's faint smile threw him off. "Well, I'll be sure to sing for her! And I tell the others to do that too!"
The old man didn't understand how this boy could even remotely smile now as he tried not to make it obvious how displeased he was as Sora stood up to go outside. However when he opened the door, the tiny pupper stormed right in, jumping on Viola's bed to face Xehanort directly. Taro demanded pets.

The young self followed: "It is becoming more tedious to keep walking up these stairs. Did it really need to be the third floor?"
"The basement would've been cooler?", Sora instantly rubbed his nose with a wide grin and left the room.