Diclaimer: I DO NOT own Kingdom hearts or Family Complex

This is a spinoff of Tsuda Mikiyo's Family Complex.

"Ven…I've always loved you!" Aqua declared before coughing into her hand and glaring at it in embarrassment.

"Aren't you…going out with… my brother, Roxas?" Aqua's heart felt guilty at that but she shook her head clearing up those thoughts. She had already made her resolution! This was no time for drawbacks!

She shook her head sadly. "I thought I was in love with him but... I guess it was you." She looked determinedly into Ven's eyes trying to convey her feelings. "I'm breaking up with him today whether or not you accept my feelings."

There was a silence that would have sent any other girl into a fit, but not Aqua. She stood her ground and waited for an answer.

"Well this is unfortunate." Aqua could feel her heart grip in pain. "But next time you want to confess to Ven, Try saying to him. Not his brother."

Aqua's eyes widened as she realized her mistake. Oh gosh, what was he doing here? This had to be a joke. Aqua's throat was clogged with embarrassment and guilt but she just had to say it, to make sure this was real…

"Roxas?"

"Yeah." Aqua winced at whip like state Roxas' words seemed to morph into, and couldn't help but look down in shame.

"What are you doing in the middle school…?"

"I'm picking up Ven." Aqua noticed Roxas' silver car in the parking lot and silently cursed herself for being so stupid. Roxas sighed while running a hand through his hair. "Y' know what? Just forget it. I can't deal with this anymore."

Aqua took a worried step toward the blonde. "Roxas I…" Before she could say anything more, Roxas had turned tail and ran.

_-_*_-_

Come on…Roxas nearly cried as the light turned red and he was forced to bring his car to a careful stop. This day was getting worse and worse by the minute. Not to mention that the chatterbox in the back seat couldn't even tell that Roxas wasn't listening to a word he was spouting.

Roxas glared at his brother, Ven, though the rearview mirrors. It was Ven's fault that his life was turning out to be a total drag. And it wasn't Ven's fault that he was now single.

But ever since Ven had hit puberty, he had become like this. Roxas was convinced that the little twerp had somehow stolen his DNA and made an exact replica of his face. Ven was like a happy, bubbly clone or something. Like those sci fi films where there was the dark clone (Roxas) and the light clone (Ven). But what bothered Roxas even more was that Sora, his actual twin, looked nothing like him. Ven was the only traitor. But honestly he wouldn't have minded if Sora looked like himself since Sora was born with him; he had that right. However, Ven didn't fill in those standards. Ven was born after Roxas and therefore had no right to look the way he did.

"Hey, Bro!" Ven whined from the backs seat. "Are you even listening to me?" Ven pouted and Roxas stared at his face in loathing.

Roxas leaned his forehead against the steering wheel, and groaned "Give me back my face."

_-_*_-_

Sora always had that goofy smile on his face. It was hard to believe that he was Roxas' fraternal twin.

Cloud was their eldest brother and their main source of money, although none of them really bothered to ask what he works as…

And Ven, Roxas' blood boiled with anger, was the twerp who stole his face! Roxas shook his head to dispel his bloodthirsty attitude. No matter who stole what, Ven was still his little brother. Besides the blonde thought glumly. It wasn't like he ripped Roxas face off and ran off cackling. He might as well have… Roxas sighed in frustration. He couldn't bother his family with these crap problems of his. What were they gonna do about it anyway? Besides Cloud beating Roxas up for complaining too much, there was nothing they really could do. It's not like they could afford plastic surgery or anything.

"Roxas, are you paying attention?" Marluxia growled from across the table as he tried futilely to kick Roxas from underneath the board.

"No. Shut up."

"If my legs were a little longer, you'd be eating them, Strife." Marluxia 'hmphed' and continued with what he was saying to those who were listening. "So my big bro hands me some crack and he's all like 'take it' and I swear he had murder in his eyes if I didn't…"

Roxas was currently in his first session of the 'youth group' in the community center. Said group was for 'troubled' teens who needed to tell others of their problems and hopefully dissolve their 'pent up hate' and 'frustration'. Sora had noticed Roxas' emo atmosphere and decided to do something by signing him up for this circus. Like he really needed counseling in his life… besides most of these people were from college (a/n basically most of the organization from the game) there were only three other high schoolers besides himself in the room (a/n Demyx, Zexion, and Larxene).

"Okay, thanks for sharing, Marluxia." Luxord, the superviser for the group nodded, obviously thankful to get the pink haired man to shut up. "Roxas, you're up next."

Roxas was about to protest before the door flung open with a loud bang. Every face turned to see an incredibly red haired man walk into the room.

"Sorry I'm late!" The man grinned, not at all looking sorry, "My car wouldn't start, y'know?" The red haired man glanced around and quickly sat at the closest open space, next to Roxas.

"Axel, right?..." Luxord asked while checking his attendance sheet. "I wasn't expecting you to come."

"Believe me, I wouldn't have." The red head, now dubbed Axel, said solemnly. He then grinned sheepishly, "My little sis, Xion, caught me playing hooky." Luxord nodded and as he wrote down Axel's appearance in his attendance book. The red head leaned down next to Roxas. "Hey, my name's, Axel." He waited expectantly for awhile and Roxas could practically see a tiny tail wagging excitedly behind him.

"What do you want? A damn cookie?" Roxas rolled his eyes.

Axel just grinned. "So it's true that places like this have those emo types that suck all the fun out of life." Roxas glared at the redhead's smirking face. "You need to relax some more, kid."

Roxas ignored him. Just another thing to add to his list of people who should die.

_-_*_-_

Okay, that wasn't bad. Axel was a pretty cool guy. Not that Roxas was actually nice to him; the redhead was the one who did all the talking.

It turned out that Axel was an art major at a nearby college and lived in the dorms there with his little sister, Xion. Not only that, but Axel was somehow…cool. There was no other word for it. Just cool. It described the red head so perfectly; He just had that air about him that attracted people, and he didn't seem to really care about his image or what other people thought of him. Axel just did what came naturally.

Roxas was insanely jealous of that. But unfortunately, he too had fallen victim to the red head's charm. There was no way he could stay mad at Axel for too long. And soon Axel's one sided conversations with him started receiving varying responses.

Currently, Roxas was exiting school with Sora by his side, having left his friends Hayner, Pence, and Ollette in their after school club. Although His brother was talking to his best friends, Riku and Kiari, and Roxas was basically excluded from the conversation, he didn't really feel lonely. Not anymore. After all, he had Axel waiting for him at the Youth Group…

Really… Roxas thought incredulously, am I actually excited to see him or something? He groaned slightly at the affect the red head seemed to have on him. It wouldn't do to get attached to something if they weren't ever going to see each other after the Youth Group. Not to mention he'd probably only care about my face…Roxas steamed slightly when he remembered the way all his friends had some how or another mistaken Ven for Roxas. I'm their friend! Couldn't they at least get my personality right? Roxas' shoulders drooped as he thought about Axel. If he doesn't know about Ven, then I won't have a reason to be mad at him. I could just go on pretending like he actually pays attention to who I am and everything would be fine. Roxas' scrunched his nose. But then that would be cheating since he won't know who Ven is.

"Hey! Earth to Roxas." Sora whined in his ear and Roxas winced at the volume.

"What is it, Sora?" He hissed between his teeth trying to get back into his train of thought. Sora tugged nervously at his sleeve. "Look there. Who's that?..."

Roxas looked to where his twin pointed to, just to humor the brunette. He knew better than to think Sora would let it go so easily. Probably some rabbit or…Roxas' eyes bulged and he had to bite his lips from screaming in astonishment …Axel?!

And sure enough, a dashing man stood by an expensive looking sports car. His usual black long sleeve shirt was worn with the arms crinkled up above the elbows and his jeans hung casually onto his skin. But there was no denying who that bush of red hair belonged. Oh man…

Roxas glanced around at the cliques of students who stood around the parking lot gossiping about the redhead and glancing back at the carefree man once in a while. A group of girls were blushing madly to the side and giggled hysterically when Axel gave them a wink. Roxas froze. Was Axel here to see him? With a sports car?! That everyone's looking at?! Oh, the public humiliation! Did he really need one more stress-inducing scenario in his life?

"Ah! Sora!" He turned to his twin, red in the face. "Why don't we go out the back entrance? It'll be fun."

"What are you talking about?" Roxas glared at Riku, the center of all things evil, and was about to remind him that he was talking to Sora, not him. "Besides, isn't that guy waving at you?" Riku jerked a thumb toward Axel and Roxas turned to see that yes, Axel was indeed grinning at him like an idiot.

"Roxie!" Roxas nearly groaned in embarrassment at the pet name but settled with looking at the ground instead. Might as well go over and say hi now that he saw me…

"Roxas! You know a college student?" Sora looked worriedly at his brother wondering what Roxas was doing out with college students in his free time. He narrowed his eyes quizzically. "Are you an alcoholic?"

"No! He's just some guy that I met in the Youth Group that you signed me up for." Roxas growled as they walked toward the red sports car. "Which, by the way, I hate you for." Sora just grinned sheepishly.

"Roxie!" Axel grinned once again. Roxas scowled slightly but couldn't stop from smiling a little at the red head. Axel jerked his thumb toward Sora and his friends. "You're friends with them?" Axel pretended to tear up a little. "Oh, I'm so happy, Rox! I thought that besides me, you were a lonely boy with no place to call home."

"Shut up." Roxas said unsteadily. "Of course I have friends just not them. This is my twin, Sora, and those are his friends."

Axel bent down a little and seemed to be analyzing Sora. Finally he pulled back and smirked at the brunette. "I can see the resemblance."

Roxas glared. "We're fraternal, idiot."

"Not that this isn't fun." Riku cut in, obviously annoyed with Axel's, scrutiny of the high schooler, "But didn't you come here for a reason?"

"Oh yeah!" Axel turned back around to Roxas. "I hope you didn't bring your car, Rox, cause I'm gonna drive you to our youth group!" Roxas looked at him in disbelief. "Yeah, well I was just in the neighborhood and y'know it'll be much better for global warming if we carpool."

Before Roxas could say anything, Sora tugged on his arm, " But Roxas! You said you would go pick up Ven!" Oh god. Roxas looked alarmingly at his brother and then at the redhead. This could not be happening. Axel could not know about Ven. No. Get a hold yourself, Roxas.

"You do it, Sora." He handed over the car keys (they both shared a car) to his twin and hoped the subject would go untouched. He should have known that is luck wouldn't permit such a miracle.

"But, Roxas! Me, Kairi, and Riku are going to eat ice cream! And Riku's paying!" Sora waved around his arms as if to emphasize the importance of such an event. And when Riku was paying? It was a pretty big deal.

Roxas pursed his lips but didn't give it another thought. Sora could get his ice cream later. "Sora …," Sora pouted slightly and looked down sadly, "Please…I…,"

"Don't start crying now, Shorty." Axel said in a placating voice. "Y'know what? I'll drive Roxie to this Ven guy and he'll take it from there. Sound cool?"

It seemed like a thousand beeping Xs were swirling in Roxas's head. But as soon as he opened his mouth to furiously refute this, Sora just had to talk. "Really? Thanks! C'mon Riku, before they change their mind." It wasn't 'they' it was just Axel. But Roxas couldn't even choke this out in time before his twin ran off to their car.

And as Axel opened the car door for him jokingly, Roxas couldn't help but feel a deep sense of foreboding in his stomach.

_-_*_-_

"So, I think Larxene needs to get a life, don't you? Maybe do something about that awful hair…" Roxas nodded at Axel as they waited for Ven to appear out of the middle school. Roxas twitched nervously as he twisted the buttons on his jacket. He tuned out the red head and focused himself on the crisis waiting ahead. If this was anything like before with all his other friends…oh man, Roxas really couldn't handle things like that from Axel. But at the same time he couldn't just drag Axel away and leave Ven here by himself, could he? Their house wasn't exactly in walking distance…

So what was he going to do? Sora had made it clear that he won't be helping this time and he wasn't sure if any of his friends were free to pick Ven up if Axel and him left. Then maybe the only thing left to do was… "Um, listen, Axel?"

Axel stopped in mid rant and looked curiously at the blonde. After all it wasn't like Roxas to sound so freaked. "Yeah? I'm all ears, Roxie"

"Um, y'know about my brother, Ven?...well he kind of looks…well." Roxas took in a deep breath and prepared himself to wheeze out the old cruel truth before…

"Roxas! I found you!"

Roxas' heart stopped as he turned to the side to see his traitorous face heading toward them.

Slowly he turned back to Axel wearing a veiled expression. Axel's mouth stood agape as he took in the sight of Ven and Roxas, felt his face grow hot. Axel's eyes widened as Ven got closer and his eyebrows seemed to disappear into his eyes.

With resentment, Roxas realized that he's seen that face before. On Hayner, Pence, and Ollete, on is ex, Aqua…And most of all himself; every time he looked at their family picture.

Axel's bright green eyes flashed to him inquisitively and Roxas tightened his mouth, not trusting himself to speak. And as he felt his face grow hotter, Roxas turned swiftly on his feet and ran.

Ven could just find his own ride!

I hate my family.

_-_*_-_

"Roxas! Heads up!" Roxas cought the ball in his lacrosse stick before it pelted his face. "Jeez, kid, that could have been serious." Cid growled from the sidelines as Roxas quickly passed the ball to Hayner.

"Sorry…" Roxas mumbled shakily while throwing the ball to Hayner.

"Really, Strife! Get your head out of the clouds." His gym teacher growled one more time before screaming at another unsuspecting student.

One week.

It's been a week since… that damn mistake. Roxas clenched his teach in anger. Not only did he get into major trouble with Cloud for ditching Ven ("This is serious, Roxas! Some sick jerk with red hair dropped Ven off here! Red hair!") but his friendship with Axel was probably forever broken. Of course, with me running off like that… Roxas chastised himself. It wasn't Axel's fault that Ven had turned out to be Roxas' clone or something; it was the messed up genetics in his family…

He quickly caught the ball that Pence had thrown his way and started a zigzag toward the goal, avoiding the opposing members. Roxas waved his head as he ran enjoying the feeling of air brushing through his face and allowed it to momentarily sweep away any lingering thoughts about the red head.

Suddenly a body nearly collided with his own and Roxas swirled around to growl at the offender.

"We're playing lacrosse, Siepher! Not football!" Hayner hollered in disgust from across the field.

"Sorry…Must've slipped." Seipher smirked arrogantly back at Hayner although his attention was directed on Roxas. The said blonde gave him a dirty look but just as Roxas' eyes landed on Seipher, they seemed to be pulled beyond the jock, beyond the playing field, and continued past the wired fences to the parking lot…His eyes were transfixed on the handsome red haired man stepping outside an equally grand sports car coming toward the lacrosse field with a grave expression. Roxas' breath hitched and it seemed like an eternity in which he simply watched Axel walk while his mind crackled to life with a bounty of questions. Why was Axel here? What was he going to say? How is Axel even allowed on school grounds?!

Unfortunately there was no time for Roxas to contemplate these questions because just as time started to pass by again now and Seipher decided took a swing at Roxas to reclaim the ball. And before Roxas could even blink, Seipher's lacrosse stick hit him cleanly on the head.

Everything seemed to get darker and darker until Roxas could barely make out anything in the blurs.

"Seipher, you prick! You did that on purpose."

"No! Really this time it was…Roxas! Roxas, are you okay?"

"Don't touch him!"

Soon even the voices seemed to loose their sound. But Roxas didn't care. All he could think about or see was the red figure bobbing closer.

And closer.

_-_*_-_

"Roxie…" Roxas eyes flickered in irritation. Figures the first thing he hears when he comes to consciousness would aggravate him to no end.

"Don't call me tha..." He mumbled drunkenly before realizing that there was only one person who would ever call him by that pet name. The blonde opened his eyes slightly hoping for and yet dreading what lay on the other side. "Axel…?"

The figure above him grinned stupidly, "The one and only." Roxas narrowed his eyes and closed them again. "You're in the school hospital, Rox." So that's why he was on a bed…The blonde nodded appreciating the soft tone the red head was using. For some reason his head hurt like crazy… "I saw you get knocked out by that stick to your head." Oh…

The red head smirked and leaned back on the chair he was sitting on. "Nothing serious though; that's great cuz y'know, we need to talk." Axel grinned despite the seriousness of his words. Roxas wriggled uncomfortably but spoke up none the less.

"I'm really sorry, Axel. Running off like that and making you drop my bro off at home… I guess I caused you some trouble." Roxas looked down in a rare submissive gesture.

"Sure…?" Axel shrugged slightly. "That's not really what I'm talkin' about here, Rox. I mean, Why did you run away?"

Roxas gaped for a moment before blushing in humiliation. "Is this a joke? Do I need to spell it out?!" He could feel his face continue to heat up but this time in anger. "My brother looks like my freaking clone, Axel. He's not even my twin." Nothing. The red head said nothing. Frustration seemed to choke Roxas, "This gives you license to mock me forever!"

"So?"

"So!" Roxas growled snappishly. "So! Axel, this is serious, All of my friends can never tell us apart and between me and Ven…he's like a saint or something! Always smiling and whatnot… It's just that whenever someone seems to like me, they end up liking Ven more because of his personality." He gave a hollow laugh, "So I'm just like a pretty face they see…replaceable."

A thick silence permeated the air.

Finally, Axel leaned down and poked Roxas' forehead lightly as a steady grin began to blossom over his face. "You know what your problem is, Rox?" The blonde bristled slightly at the comment. It sounded like the older man was insinuating something... "You're way too arrogant." Roxas sputtered indignantly and sxung a fist at Axel.

"Shut up!" Roxas turned over in his bed, facing away from the red hea and yanked the covers up over his shoulders.

"Ah! No, non I didn't mean like that, "Roxas!" Axel smiled hopefully when Rrxas glanced dully at him again, "Don't hate me…" The blonde sighed and looked back at the other boy, a sort of grim expectation coming over him giving Axel the cue to keep going. "Well, you see, you're arrogant 'cause you value your face too much. Like … what do they call those?...like…a…a narcissist." His face lit up like fire as the boy finally stumbled into the right word and ignored Roxas' hate filled glare. "You're face is pretty, though." Roxas glowed under the comment causing the red hea to snicker into his sleeve. "See what I mean? You love getting compliments but now that your brother's like a clone or something, you feel like you have to get people to notice you more." Axel thought for a moment before his lips twisted upward, "competitive little guy aren't you?"

"You know, if you're only here to insult me. I'd rather you get out. Now." Roxas layed back into the pillows and closed his eyes.

"Hold on, Rox, I didn't even finish." Roxas graoned in defeat, " The way I see it you need something to differentiate you…Something that'll make everyone set you apart from your brother."

"Plastic Surgery? No thanks, I'm not really that desperate…"

"No, something that'll let you keep that face…"

Roxas exhaled slowly. "Axel. I appreciate you trying to help me…I think. But I already tried everything. When I wear different clothes, than Ven no one notices anything. When I gel back my hair or make a new hairstyle, I just end up looking like a dork." Roxas took a breath trying to compose his voice again, "And my hair's so delicate; whenever I try using hair dye, it always starts making my hair fall out and other shit…Axel" The blond looked up, aggravation marring his features, "I've tried everything."

"There is that…" Axel tucked a section of his bottom lip under his teethe and began sucking in contemplation. Roxas wiggled as if feeling uncomfortably exposed after all the information his mouth seemed to have leaked. Really…I only just met him…

Finally, there was a 'pop' sound as Axel repositioned his lips into a toothy grin that a child would get when they figured out a way to capture the tooth fairy; absolutely devious. "Or maybe, Rox, there is another way." His singsong voice caused Roxas to jump in his seat and wonder whether or not this 'other way' was legal.

"Look, as much as I hate him I'm not killing Ven." Axel looked confused for a second.

"Umm…okay?" Roxas sighed, his breath tinged in relief. At least now he knew that that the redhead wasn't thinking about murder. "Anyway, Rox, close your eyes!""…Why?"

Axel raised an eyebrow "Cuase I'm a genie, that's why."

"A Genie?"

"I'm gonna grant your wish but only if you close your eyes."

Roxas mulled over this for a second before deciding that he should trust Axel. After all, the college student did trust him enough to listen to his explanation on Ven. So with a wary heart Roxas closed his eyes and welcomed the dark that shrouded the world.

He could hear fumbling. A lot actually. And 'tinking' noises? Could it be that Axel was messing with the lemonade the nurse always had in her office?

"What are you…?"

"Jeez. Patience is a virtue, kid. Just trying to cut some lemons here."

Roxas didn't speak after that. He just listened; Listened as Axel fumbled around with the other equipment in the nurses office. He Listened as the 'clinck' of Axel's lighter went off and then felt a burning metal point touching his skin.

"Don't worry. My friend's a pro at this and he taught me how to do it." Axel's

breath slid over his ear and before he could register anything more, the metal point slid through his ear.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

_-_*_-_

"Cool earring, Roxas." Ollette complimented as they walked side by side to the parking lot after school.

"Yeah, well, thanks." He couldn't bring himself to smile. How could he when his ear still felt it had it's own heartbeat? The throbbing just wouldn't stop. He slid his hand over the studded earring. Axel's earring, He reminded himself. After that daring act, the red head had taken off his own earring and slid it into Roxas' new piercing instructing him not to take it off all the while laughing at the blonde's murderous glare.

"Dude, if Roxas has one I want one!" Heyner declared as Ollette giggled.

"Your mom would flip." Pence snickered before grinning at Roxas. "But I bet Cloud was totally cool about it right? Man, it must be nice living with only brothers…" The brunnette's face took on a dreamy mask.

"Yeah…He sure had something to say about it alright." Roxas graoned at the memory. When Cloud had arrived at school because of a call from the nurse and saw Roxas' ear, he was furious. If looks could kill Roxas would have been dead by the end of the car ride home. And then all those punishments … no TV for a month, no computer for a week, come straight home after school, the list went on and on.

But somehow there was a sense a relief vibrating throughout his body. And as much as his ear tingled, he knew it wasn't from the pain.

It was the individuality.

Separation.

Identity.

Roxas was finally himself. Ven would never do anything atrocious like getting a piercing, and Roxas knew that. With this earring he could say everything that he is that Ven could never be; rebellious, emo, punk. It said it all. And slowly, Roxas knew that the earring was working. Just this morning, aqua had no trouble distinguishing him from Ven when she came to their house apologize. Whether she herself knew it or not, the earring must have sent a silent signal of rebellion something Ven isn't known for.

"So, Roxas, wanna come to the movie's today?" Ollete asked as they reached the parking lot.

"No." A man in front of a red sports car waved exuberantly at the blonde and Roxas couldn't help but smirk, "I've got youth group."

"Oh, that's too bad."

He bid his farewell to his friends and made his way to the red sport scar.

"Aw, I bet you couldn't wait to come out and see me!" Axel smiled and his lips seemed to stretch wider as he saw the earring on Roxas' ear.

"Shut up."

^_^ Whew… that was tiring… my first KH fic!

Thanks for reading this far! I hope the ending wasn't too sloppy… Anyway, The story does not end here! If you read Family Complex by Tsuda Mikiyo you would know that every chapter in that manga is about a certain family member (it's really good! I highly recommend Tsuda Mikiyo's work! :D ). Likewise, this story will feature oneshots about the Strife family. The next chapter will be Sora's oneshot.

Once again thank you for reading and I hope you will continue…

(Critic is HIGHLY appreciated)