First of all, I want to thank blackpaopu for this GORGEOUS art they made. I am so happy they commissioned this, and everyone should totally check out their blog, highly recommend 10/10.
But this is a gift for skypillar! She wrote a fantastic fanfic called “Why the Sun Sets Red” over on AO3 which this piece is based off of. It’s a 358/2 Days AU where Vexen takes Axel’s place and raises befriends Roxas and Xion instead. For anyone who is curious about it, the story does NOT end the same way as it does in the game. It’s cleverly written to accommodate Vexen taking Axel’s role and stays true not only to everyone’s character, but the situations are extremely creative. Just as emotional if not moreso as the original story, I can’t recommend it enough.
I wanted this to capture my favorite chapter in the story because this moment was just so pure and fun. I wanted something to dedicate such a high point in the fic, and so I bestow this gift to her! Happy one year anniversary to “Why the Sun Sets Red”~
Ienzo wasn’t sure how long he’d been sitting there among the flowers and the tombstones. Though judging by the painful cramp in his left leg, he estimated about an hour.
“Ienzo? Where are you?”
Or judging by the near frantic tone of Even’s voice, several hours could’ve been more likely. The approaching sound of rapid footsteps told him he’d been spotted, and he pushed himself stiffly to his feet and brushed off his clothes. He glanced one last time at the pair of gravestones facing him.
Just as he prepared to turn around, tears blurred his vision and he hastily dried his eyes on his sleeve with a little more force than was necessary. No. He was always so meticulous about which emotions he let himself display in front of other people. He hated crying. Hated how small and vulnerable it made him look and feel.
But despite his best efforts, the tears he’d been withholding for the past month trickled down his face, a droplet landing upon his shoe. The footsteps came to a halt behind him but still Ienzo didn’t turn around. He couldn’t. So he hid his face with his sleeve instead, listening as Even took a deep breath as though on the verge of launching into one of his usual sharp reprimands.
But it never came.
Instead there was only a heavy silence. Then suddenly he felt a surprisingly gentle hand on his shoulder. Ienzo sniffled and stubbornly refused to face Even. More silence.
“It’s all right to let yourself grieve, child. Crying is nothing to be ashamed of.”
The hand hesitated then left his shoulder. Before Ienzo’s mind could register what he was doing, he had finally turned around, taken a step forward, thrown his small arms around his caretaker, and buried his face in the other’s lab coat. He let the choked sobs come now, too tired to hold them back any longer. Tears streamed freely down his cheeks but he didn’t care anymore.
“I m-miss them,” he found himself mumbling, voice muffled by fabric. “I-I’ve tried focusing on my s-tudies – try to stop th-thinking about them but it’s really – it’s really–” His small voice dissolved into another sob before growing silent once again.
“But it’s difficult,” Even finished for him. “You’ve been studying very hard lately and your work in the labs is exemplary. Your parents would be proud.”
Ienzo merely sniffed in reply, face still obscured by untidy hair and Even’s coat.
They stayed like that for several minutes, arms around the other, quiet, surrounded by flowers and tombstones until finally Ienzo pulled away, wiping his eyes once more.
“Whenever you are ready,” Even said after a moment, (surreptitiously trying to smooth his coat down where Ienzo had wrinkled it) “we should return to the castle. Lord Ansem was very worried. He will be glad to see that you’re safe from harm.”
Once Ienzo had regained his composure, they set off toward the cemetery gates and out onto the street. They walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts until they neared the marketplace and Even felt a light tug on his sleeve.
Rating: E (Allusions to murder, questionable scientific experiments)
Author’s note: ((This post by the wonderful @exploringcastleoblivion floated across my dash earlier and–SURPRISE–managed to break through my writers block. You guys know how weak I am for the Even/Ienzo father/son dynamic. I couldn’t just pass up an opportunity to wring a little more angst out of that…))
I like to think that Even went from being a reluctant dad (“Can’t anyone else watch the child?” “Just sit over there and play with the microscope. Daddy’s busy.”)
To an overprotective dad who truly cares about Ienzo and might not be the best parent but he still means well. (“Ienzo! Ienzo where are you?!” “You know you can’t leave the castle without an adult; it’s too dangerous!” “Don’t forget to brush your teeth or you’ll get cavities. What? I’ve already reminded you two times tonight?”
Ienzo gets annoyed with him but understands that Even’s concern is the scientist’s way of saying “I love you.”
Assorted Xaldin/Dilan headcanons because I never see anything for him
>Dilan always had extra hair ties on him. It’s like an easter egg discovery. No one knows about it, but the people who do find out about it have an endless supply in case they need one.
>He’s the designated cook in the castle. This is because he’s one of the few members who actually know how to cook. When he was a somebody, he would always meal prep and make meals in advance because the long shifts would drain him. Having the pre made stuff always cam in handy.
>He’s good with kids but that doesn’t mean he likes them. Once he was stuck looking after Ienzo because Even had to run off to get synthesis items. At one point Dilan forgot that he was supposed to be watching Ienzo and lowkey freaked out (though you wouldn’t be able to tell). Much to his relief, the boy had been sitting off to the side, nose-deep in a book.
>He liked Ienzo because he was quiet and didn’t cause much trouble. Zexion on the other hand never shuts up, so Xaldin avoids him as much as possible.
>Dilan and Aeleus play cards every now and then in their down time.
>Dilan//Xaldin has the type of face that makes kids stop doing stupid stuff. Like there are the adults who can threaten you all you want and you won’t be phased, like Xigbar/Braid, but as soon as Xaldin/Dilan gives you that glare you immediately stop whatever dumb thing you’re about to do.
>On that topic, Xaldin has on multiple occasions walked in on Xigbar yelling at an unfazed and even giggling Demyx. As soon as Demyx catches Xaldin’s raised eyebrow and deep set glare, he will yelp, apologize to Xaldin and waltz off.
>He eats kale
>The reason his voice is really gruff is because he naps all the time. He literally just always has that “I just woke up” voice. No one knows what he really sounds like.
>Out of the youngest Organization members, the one he can tolerate the most is Demyx surprisingly. Roxas and Xion are too gullible/naive. Zexion talks too much, last he heard. Saix is a hard ass, and Axel just gives him bad vibes. It doesn’t help that when they were sombodies, Axel and Saix gave him an extremely hard time.
>On that note, Demyx is the one Xaldin is most protective of. Not in obvious ways. More like, if he sees Demyx chugging water, he’ll tell him to slow down or he’ll choke and that Xaldin doesn’t want to deal with that or if Demyx isn’t paying attention during a meeting, he’ll send a gust of wind to wake him up.
>He’s really specific about his cooking and the ingredients he uses but will still just eye the measurements because he’s so skilled at it
will probably add more later
Excuse me, may I?
Bonus:
I’m actually crying this is the first time someone’s done art for my stupid hcs dndndndjdjdj I love it
Stop talking and start doing: My Fallout Shelter for my Tumblr blog 