When Worlds Collide

by XbuttonsX

Who would have thought that trying to make the world a better place, one smile at a time, would be such hard work. Axel finds out when he sees a blonde boy walking by looking none-too-happy. Happy Belated Akuroku Day!

When Worlds Collide

Prompt-fic. Sorry it's so late. It was meant to be out on Akuroku day. Someone obviously needs to get me a calendar. :P No, I did have this finished for the beautiful day, I do believe, but you try getting 15K done by a certain day! And then RecklessxDreamer, my wonderful Beta, was busy. But, she is the one that gave the prompts. Oranges, a single balloon and Rain. It was such a blast to write. I think I do best with prompts.

Summary - It was only the expression on Roxas' face that drew the two together. When two people meet, sometimes worlds collide.

Disclaimer - There are so many things I don't own, it's not even funny. I didn't even come up with the prompts.

Warnings - hinted rape, swearing, violence, boylove

Pairings - Onesided XaldinAxel, Onesided SephirothAxel, AxelRoxas, hinted SeiferRoxas, Onesided LeonRoxas, HaynerRoxas

xXx

First Meeting

xXx

Axel lived simply, jumping from city to city with the family he had been adopted into when he left his own. He fulfilled every little boy's dream - to run away and join the circus. Though it was more of a carnival than a circus. No animals were forced to perform, no sword swallowers or fire breathers. Just rides and games, screaming and laughing. Axel loved it.

Even if all he did was sell balloons.

Organization XIII had their own line of merchandise sold at their carnivals to remind everyone just who it was giving them a weeklong break from their regular, mundane lives. The balloons were surprisingly popular with the crowds with the logo printed on the blacker-than-black latex, the contrast between the whites and grays brilliant. Axel adored the merchandise he sold so it was sold with pride, making it seem even more desirable.

Axel was good at what he did and that meant his position was secured. So he was happy. That happiness made him feel like it was his duty to cheer any unhappy person that passed. That was how he first met Roxas.

The honey-blonde boy barely looked old enough to be called a teenager, but a scowl on his lips made him seem older than he appeared. Something animalistic caught in the redhead's stomach as he watched the boy kicking at a rock on the fairground as he slowly shuffled by. Axel felt the strong need to cheer this poor boy up.

"Hey, kid!" The blonde stiffened, not looking over at the redhead, but shifting his gaze around, hoping that there was another 'kid' around somewhere. "Yeah, Blondie, you." The younger boy couldn't help but hesitate before turning to see the redhead. "C'mere."

The blonde looked around, a bravely defiant smirk forced on his lips as he stared at Axel with the bluest eyes the redhead had ever seen. They stole the breath right out of Axel's lungs, causing the animalistic feeling to burn once more.

"You planning to rape me, carny?" The blonde hissed, glaring at the innocent redhead. Axel's eyes went wide both at the accusation and the sweet sound that was the stranger's voice. Catching his bearings as quickly as he could, Axel busied himself with a balloon.

"Nah. Actually, I just wanted to know what the matter is. You're at a carnival, but you look like someone just shot your dog."

The smirk turned defensive as the boy moved forward. "What do you care? You're just a carny. And a stranger. What do you care if I'm happy or not?"

Axel rolled his eyes. "I'm Axel. Now I'm not a stranger. And I care because it's pretty much mandatory to be happy in this place, kid."

"Roxas, not kid." Roxas leaned against the counter, almost surprised at how refreshingly cool it was in the shade under the canopy of the balloon stall. "So, I shouldn't be here if I'm not ecstatic?"

Axel smiled, proud that he's worked a name easily out of the child that was probably fifteen years younger than himself with a strangely large vocabulary for a ten-year-old. "I'm not even gonna hope for ecstatic. But you're not allowed to go by here looking so put out. My duty is to cheer up the world, one sourpuss at a time."

Roxas snorted, trying his hardest not to succumb to the charms and chuckled at the redhead. "I'm not a sourpuss, stupid carny."

"Really now, kid? Ya coulda fooled me. So, here." Axel wanted nothing more than to hear that honeysweet voice of the little kid say his name, but he shoved a balloon string into Roxas' face. Roxas gave a confused laugh, taking the string. "I know an ice cream would make it better, but I'm not the ice cream man. I'm the balloon man. Besides, a balloon lasts longer." The redhead felt his heart swell when he heard the blonde's sing-song laughter. Of course his heart always swelled from pride when he made people laugh, but this was a much newer, warmer swelling.

"I'm not a kid, you know. I'm fifteen."

Axel hummed at the age. So, only ten years difference? Hmm. He shook the thoughts popping into his mind away, not needing to be thinking like that right then. "Then what's got ya so down?"

Roxas blushed, the smile disappearing from his lips. "I .." He sighed, averting his gaze as a little boy and his mother made their way up to the counter. Axel gave Roxas a look that screamed 'if-you-move-away-from-that-spot-before-you-tell-me-what-is-wrong-I-will-hunt-you-down-and-torture-it-out-of-you' before smiling happily at the duo.

"Are ya havin' fun, kiddo?" Axel knelt down so he wouldn't intimidate the little boy. He gave a reassuring look to the boy's mother, telling her without words that he was charismatic, not a pedophile. The oblivious boy smiled wide, showing off the hole where he'd lost one of his front teeth.

"I went on the Freak Out with Mommy and she screamed!"

Axel laughed at the boy's enthusiasm, smirking at the blushing woman. "Really now? And you were a big boy? You didn't scream at all?"

"Nope!"

His mother laughed. "Because you were too busy crying, silly. But we're heading home. What did you want to ask the nice man?"

The boy lost his smile, taking up a look of concentration. His features brightened when he thought of his request. "Can I have a balloon, please, mister?"

Axel smirked, moving to blow up a balloon. "I dunno, can you?" Just as he had imagined, the boy's face crumbled, almost to the point of tears. Axel tied the balloon shut, securing it with a ribbon before leaning down, poking the boy on the nose. "Don't worry! The lil' man always gets what he wants." Axel straightened after handing over the balloon. He forced a lustful smirk onto his lips. "Now, do I get what I want? How 'bout me and you go out for a drink later?" He asked the woman. A confused laugh left her as she brought up her hand, showing off a fancy diamond set in a wedding ring.

"Already taken, creep."

Axel backed off slightly, putting his hands up in defense. "Hey, I'm just showin' that ya can find a creep anywhere. Watch the kid. And I hope you enjoy your day." Axel turned his emerald orbs back on the blonde that was gazing at him in curiosity as the woman and her son took their leave.

"You woulda gone with her that quick?"

Axel stretched, cracking his back before leaning on the counter. "Nah. I saw the ring before I asked. I just didn't want that kid hurt."

"Who woulda hurt him?" Roxas followed Axel's lead on the other side of the counter, running the string of his balloon through his fingers. Axel just ran his eyes over the teen that looked so much younger.

"Xaldin, the dreadlock dude that works the Tower. Ya'know why he's on that one? The height restriction. Kids can't go on it." He felt the blonde's eyes move over him as he shuddered.

"You sound like you know this first hand," Roxas mused, looking away when Axel shoved himself back.

"You have time?" The redhead sat on the bench on the opposite side of the small stall. Roxas gave him a quizzical look before Axel nodded to the side door to his stall. "I'm lonely and am gonna jump at the chance to talk to someone."

Roxas smirked, following Axel's instruction and opening the partially hidden door, moving in and sitting beside the redhead. "So, what'd this Xaldin dude do?" Axel chuckled, hiding his wince.

"Nah ah, ah, Roxas. You gotta tell me first why you were upset." Axel beamed at the teen sitting beside him. Roxas groaned, resting his head against the stall wall, but it felt too good to be out of the sun to deny the redhead something so simple.

"I got dumped. There. Ya happy now?"

Axel's face fell. "No!" He whined. "Makes me think that that bitch is stupid and that she doesn't know what she's missing out on."

Roxas smirked, chuckling slightly. "The real slap in the face? Said I looked too much like a kid when we fucked. He said he felt like a pedo messin' with someone that looks like an eight year old."

Looking at the blonde, Axel raised an eyebrow. "He?"

Roxas rolled his cerulean eyes. "Oh fuck off. If you're a gay basher, I'll bash you."

The two were interrupted when Axel noticed another small group of kids coming towards the booth. He didn't bother to try to pick any of them up this time, just wanting them gone so he could continue his conversation with the intriguing blonde. Falling back, it was almost as though they hadn't stopped. "I'd have to bash myself."

Roxas gave him a questioning look. "What d'ya mean?"

A sly smirk crossed the redhead's lips. The string of the balloon worked nervously through the blonde's fingers. "I'd be a hypocrite, hating gays while being one, ya'know?"

"Oh," was all the blonde said. They sat there for a moment in easy quiet until the younger spoke again. "So, now you know why I was upset. My turn, right?" Cerulean met emerald and Axel shrugged.

"Guess so. I was gonna say that me telling you my sexuality counted, but you told me yours too, so it evens out."

Roxas nodded, his face instinctively going grim before asking his question. "Can you ... tell me about Xaldin? About why he's so bad?" Roxas had guessed that Axel was going to cringe and push himself back into the wall. The blonde winced when he found himself to be correct. Just from the redhead's reaction, Roxas already had a few ideas.

"I ... would rather not, Roxas. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I ... I've gotta head home anyways."

The redhead sighed, leaning forward to prop his elbows up on his knees, cradling his chin with his hands. "I guess you would, wouldn't you?"

"For some reason, I don't want to. Your happiness is contagious and I need some happy in my life."

"You could always come visit. I'm in town until the day after tomorrow."

The redhead sat up again, a little bit of excitement in his voice as he looked at Roxas with playful eyes. Roxas smirked back, but the humor didn't completely fill his breathtaking eyes.

"I ... was supposed to hang with Seifer tomorrow." When Axel gave him a questioning look, he elaborated. "The prick that dumped me."

"Oh ..." Axel nodded slowly. "And you're telling me the plans that can't possibly happen because you find it creepy and weird that a twenty-five year old runaway carny wants to hang out."

Roxas sighed, shaking his head. "It's not that. It's not that at all."

"Then what?" Axel gave a bark of laughter. "Could it possibly be the fact that you could see yourself falling for such a sexy beast and the time I'd spend away would be too much?" It was only a joke, nothing more. So Axel was surprised to see a blush spread across Roxas' cheeks. Axel spluttered for a second, gaping at the blonde. "I-I was joking, man."

"Hey, I'm sorry, but you are actually pretty hot. I only came over here looking for a quick fuck, but then I found out you're a talker. A talker, man. With a record like mine ... that's kinda someone I really want."

"So ... you mean that you're looking for someone that could give two shits?"

Roxas looked away, nodding after a little while. "And it sucks, because you can at least pretend to care. That means something, ya'know?" There was another small pause, Axel turning to look at the teen.

"You ... could run away. Xemnas was saying that he wanted to turn my stall into an 'Everything Stall', but I won't be able to do it all myself! You can help me!"

A small chuckle left the blonde. "Thanks for thinking about me, Axel, but I really can't. My family means too much to me. My brother ... God, he'd get raped if it weren't for me. Twins, ya'know? So, he's really hot, doesn't realize it because he's such a clueless kid and if it weren't for me and his best friend, he would go off with any pervert that looked at him. He's too trusting. So I couldn't just leave him." Roxas stood, but Axel stopped him from leaving by grabbing his wrist, that animalistic need broiling in the elder's stomach once more. "Axel?"

"I want you to come back tomorrow ... please?" There was a look of something close to desperation on the redhead's face. "You're pretty awesome and I think it'd be cool to have a friend here. It'd ... give me something to look forward to, wouldn't it? Just come back tomorrow, okay? I want to make you happy."

Closing his eyes, Roxas slipped out of the redhead's grip. "I'll ... see what I can do." Opening those heart stopping cerulean eyes, Roxas gave Axel a reassuring smile. "But I do have to go. I told Sora that I'd be home for supper." The smile slipped from his lips. He didn't move even though Axel had reluctantly released him. He just kept looking into the emerald orbs, a look of contemplation on his features. Then a sad smirk crossed over the contemplation. "You know, Seifer and everyone ... they all just use me. I'm nothing but a little whore to them. I know, I know, I'm only fifteen, but ... no one really cares. Which is why ..." Roxas fell forward, shaking just slightly, pressing their lips together. When he pulled back seconds later, he stumbled until he found himself pressed against the counter, his foot nudging the large bag of earnings. "I don't feel weird doing that, though that felt ... different ... than all the others."

"R-Roxas ..."

"I'm sorry, Axel."

And he was leaving. Axel tried desperately to get his muscles moving so that he could stop the blonde, but Roxas already had the door pushed open once more, the balloon bobbing behind him as he fled. "Roxas!" Axel managed to cry out, but the teen was already gone. It took Axel a few moments to realize that he still had a job to do. Slowly closing the door, he leaned his forehead against the door.

"Excuse me, mister." A young voice intruded shyly, forcing Axel from his depression. The redhead turned, a fake grin splitting his face when he saw the little girl on the other side of the counter. Business was business, after all.

xXx

Axel hated night most of all. The rush and excitement of the day wound down and he could finally sleep. But there was always that nagging fear that he would be interrupted before he could float into the dream world. More often than not, Xaldin would stumble into the sleeping quarters, drunk out of his mind, clambering into his own room and plopping down on his own mattress. But there were still those not-so-drunk nights.

And this night was one of the not-so-drunk nights.

"Axel." The redhead cowered into his sheets as he heard his door open. There were two trailers dedicated solely to the workers, divided into small compartments where they lived. A third trailer provided their meals.

"Not tonight, Xaldin. Please." Axel begged, pulling the blankets up to his nose, his eyes slamming shut. He was still such a kid when he got scared. But, just as he knew, he words didn't stop the black-haired, muscle-bound man. Axel whimpered when he felt knees on either side of his legs, working their way up. Axel cringed, sending one of his hands down under the covers to protect him when the time came.

"Some brat had the balls to punch me today, you know." That warm breath stung at Axel's face and the redhead was glad he didn't use his light when he slept so he didn't have to see the monster looming over him. "He had one of your balloons, Axel." Xaldin brought his hand up, ripping away the sheet until it crumpled between their stomachs. Axel knew what he was in for, but that didn't stop him from struggling, lashing out and slamming his fist uselessly against the toned chest of the Tower operator. "Don't even think about it, you little shit!" Xaldin gripped his wrist, slamming it up above those red spikes.

"P-Please, Xaldin. Not tonight!" A strong hand crashed into his cheek, causing him to cry out. "Xemnas told you not to do that anymore! He told you!"

"The Superior isn't here right now and I want answers, Axel. This kid asked for me. He told me to keep my hands off of you." Axel whimpered when he felt fingers grip onto his neck. "You told him what I do to you, didn't you?" The redhead tried to squeak out an answer, but it was useless as he was hardly able to breathe. Panic shot through him, but he wasn't scared for himself. The last person that had taken Xaldin on was still in the hospital, two years later. Visions of Roxas in a hospital bed, unmoving, hooked up to a life support machine, a boy that looked strikingly similar holding his hand kept popping through the redhead's mind. A wave of adrenaline ran through him and he fought against the black-haired monster, only accomplishing a tighter hold on his throat. "I didn't hurt him." The words stole the fight from the redhead, causing anger to flood through Xaldin's blood, his grip tightening even farther. He knew Axel's limits well so he wouldn't give him the gift of falling unconscious. That happened later. "But if I ever see him again, I will. You're mine, Axel. I've claimed you. You're mine to do with as I please. Not even the Superior is going to change that. No one cares about you, Axel." Seeing that the redhead was reaching his limits, Xaldin released his grip slightly. Gasping for breath, Axel gagged.

"N-No! ... Roxas ... Roxas does!"

"You watch, Axel. He won't come back. If he cared, he'd come back tomorrow."

Axel screamed when he felt the black-haired monster grab the hand that was protecting his nether-regions, hauling it up over his crimson spikes to join the other. The sheets were removed as Axel began to sob.

xXx

Xaldin was right. Roxas didn't come back the next day.

xXx

Second Meeting

xXx

Axel couldn't help the anticipation he felt building in his bruised stomach as his 'family' started to set up their livelihood. The stalls were normally first to go up so that they could be pushed out of the way. Usually called upon to help with the laying of the floor of the bumper cars, Axel happily laid back as the latest runaway was broken in, learning the ropes. Axel used his free time to fiddle through his supplies, making sure that everything was as it should be. Umbrellas and tee-shirts, balloons and balls, frisbees and water bottles; Xemnas was determined to get their logo out there. But the fact that this was his first time selling anything more than balloons wasn't what made Axel's stomach roll as he tucked the money-filled burlap sack safely beside his foot. No, it was the knowledge that Roxas lived in this city that had the butterflies flicking through his stomach.

Xaldin had tried his hardest over the year to associate any thoughts of Roxas with pain and suffering, but Axel didn't care. That uncaring was what had gained him the bruises covering his chest and abdomen. Axel just wanted to see the blonde again to see if he was any happier this year. At least, that's what he tried to tell himself.

But he didn't come. Not the first day. Not the second. Not the third, fourth, fifth, or sixth day. Axel had given up hope on seeing the blonde ever again as the seventh and last day was nearly drawing to a close.

"Axel, how're ya doin' today? You look worn out. I don't blame ya, though. I heard it last night."

The redhead blushed when an older blonde - his hair almost white it was so blonde while Roxas' was nearly brunette - leaned against the counter. Axel looked at anything other than the man before him.

"It's cause of where we're at. I met this awesome kid here last year and Xaldin thinks I'm gonna run away. So ..." Axel's eyes stared determinedly away from the blonde. "If you guys all know, can't you stop him?"

A hand was laid on his forearm. "Axe, ya'know we all think of ya as a brother, right? Well, Xaldin could probably kill us all just by lookin' at us. We love ya, but we like livin' too."

A sigh escaped the redhead as he hung his head, not pulling his arm away. "I know. I was just wondering. I just wish Roxas would come back."

"I know, bud. You think the Superior'd let you off early today? All you gotta say is that Xaldin attacked ya last night and maybe you could go lookin' for this kid."

Axel shook his head. "Xemnas would confront him and I'd be hurting the whole way to Radiant Garden. Nah, I think I'll be fine."

"You better be. 'Cause I gotta get back. Break's over."

Axel smiled back at the reassuring look from the blonde as he removed his hand from the redhead's arm. "See ya, Luxord." Walking away, Luxord flicked his wrist above his head in a quick wave. The redhead ran a hand up through his crimson spikes that were still rather tender from the monster's session the night prior. He watched Luxord until he disappeared into the evening crowd. Another sigh as he stepped back a little covered up the sound of hands running along the wood outside. In a flash, the door burst open, startling the redhead. The hands pressing him back helped assist his fall as he stumbled back against the hard wall. Pain rocked through his battered body.

"Wh-What the hell?" He saw the glint of a metal knife as the hooded wielder reached down, snatching the sack with the familliar logo on it. Axel's mind froze with fear, his hands up in surrender.

"F-Follow me and I-I'll kill you!"

And he was running out the door he'd burst through only seconds earlier. The only thing that had Axel chasing after the intruder was the fact that he's heard that voice before. He knew it. He's waited a year to hear it again and that thought made it so he was gaining on the running teen. He hadn't been able to see the thief's face, but he knew that voice.

"Roxas!"

As he screamed the name, Axel watched the hooded figure falter, almost tripping. Axel took advantage of this by lunging forward, knocking the thief into one of the game stands, sending the stack of orange balls flying. Axel peeled the hood back, hearing the teen moaning beneath him, ignoring his own pain that flooded through him. Honey blonde spikes popped into place as Roxas continued to struggle.

"Axel, please! Let me go!"

Leaning on the blonde to show that he wouldn't be released so easily, Axel bent to speak into the boy's ear. "What the hell do you think you're doing, brat?" He hissed as angrily as he could muster.

"Axel, he'll kill him! He'll kill him if I don't bring it back to him!"

"Who?"

"Seifer! Seifer'll kill Sora!"

Axel loosened his grip on the teen, glancing around at the crowd that had begun to gather with the scene they'd been making. Allowing the blonde the opportunity to turn around and face him, Axel pressed him back into the stall, sending an apologetic glance to the shocked Luxord who just so happened to be the one in charge of the ball-tossing game.

"What do you mean, Seifer?"

"I mean I got back in with him after you left. And now he said that if I didn't get some cash, he'd track Sora down and kill him." There was panic in the teen's voice and eyes when Axel reached down to gather the bag from the one that'd been on his mind for a year. Reluctantly, Roxas let his grip falter, the bag falling into Axel's fingers. The second it was secure, Axel forced it into Luxord's waiting hands. "Now he's gonna die. H-he's gonna-"

"Roxas, stop."

Roxas clamped his eyes shut tight at the tone until he felt Axel rubbing his arms soothingly.

"Hey, he's not the only one that could die soon, you know," the redhead whispered so only the blonde could hear him. When Roxas looked up at him in confusion, Axel leaned back slightly, lifting his shirt up just a little. Roxas gaped at the purplish bruising covering the redhead's stomach.

"Xaldin?" he asked, sounding small and pathetic, his voice shaking like he was about to cry. Axel nodded slowly, letting his shirt fall. His body cringed instinctively when Roxas asked his next question. "It isn't my fault, is it?" A tear leaked out from the corner of one of the brilliantly blue eyes, but Axel didn't answer the question.

"If you're afraid of Seifer, you can leave him. You have the option. I'm forced to live with Xaldin and what he does."

Axel closed his eyes, shaking. His name was said from three different places and it caused his emerald eyes to shoot back open. It was whimpered in worry from below, hissed in warning from above and growled in anger from behind. Panic crossed his features and it was then that he remembered Luxrd's stall was less than a stone's throw away from the Tower. A hand grabbed his shoulder and he found himself being pulled away from the blonde with a yelp. Being spun in one easy motion, his throat was gripped in a strong hand as Xaldin lifted him up off the ground. Roxas called out his name, but all he cared about was protecting the blonde. His hands went up to uselessly try to pry the impossibly strong fingers off his delicate neck. There were screams from the crowd, but no one moved to help him.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing, little shit? You're mine. Keep your hands off that filth, got it?"

Axel wouldn't have answered even if he could have. He had to stay strong and defiant. It was the only thing that had kept him alive all these years. Xaldin would have done away with him by now if he had of become boring. But now his head was swimming as his lungs burned, screaming for air.

"Xaldin, release him."

The fearless black-haired man's eyes grew wide, horrified. Axel found himself dropped to the ground, crumpling and gasping for breath. He curled in on himself when Xemnas parted through the crowd.

"S-Superior! It's a p-pleasure to see you, sir! I..." Xaldin cut himself off at the sight of Xemnas' glare.

"Must I have another ... talk with you Xaldin?" Eyes growing wide, Xaldin shook his head vigorously. Roxas leaned forward, reaching out to Axel, only stopping when the blonde behind him grabbed his shoulder, hissing "don't touch him if you don't want to scar him" into his ear. "Then you would be wise to go back to where you belong." Xemnas stepped between the retreating Tower operator and those he desired to hurt. Glancing at the crowd, Xemnas laid a warning smirk on his lips. "And you should all be moving along too, no?"

The crowd departed easily, knowing instinctively that it would be a bad idea to cross the gray-haired man that had run the big brute of a beast away with only a single look. They knew he was not to be defied. Xaldin scampered back to his position at the Tower's controls, sending nervous glances down to where Axel was sobbing and coughing at the Superior's feet.

"Y-You saved me. You saved me." Axel kept repeating, sobbing the words as he crawled closer to the grey-haired man's feet, gripping onto the shined shoes and dress slacks that the owner of Organization XIII Amusement wore. The redhead was still gasping for breath when Xemnas slowly pulled his feet away.

"Axel." The stern voice gently coaxed the redhead to look up, emerald eyes wild with his slowly abating horror. "What else has he done to you?" Axel cringed, first sitting up before moving back to rest against Roxas' legs, whimpering slightly, pressing into the touch when the blonde put a hand through his crimson spikes. He visibly started to calm, but wouldn't look up at the Superior.

"H-He said if I told ... it'd be worse."

"This is his last day working for me, Axel. He has become a danger not only to the public but to my employees, as well. But I need you to tell me what he's done. He won't ever be able to hurt you again if you tell me." Xemnas encouraged the redhead softly, the fact that they were in the middle of the fairgrounds apparently either not registering or not a big enough matter for the grey-haired man to be bothered with.

Shaking, Axel shifted so he was looking up at Roxas "I ... don't want you to hear." Roxas gave the elder a reassuring smile, moving his hand across the redhead's cheek, thumbing one of the two upside down triangle tattoos below the emerald orbs. Axel whimpered, but out of contentment rather than fear.

"It'll save you from telling me later. Because you know I'll ask. And if you still wanna know, I'll tell you what's been happening with Seifer. Equivalent trade?"

Axel sighed, turning back to look at the Superior's shoes. He didn't speak until he'd moved Roxas' legs to come around onto his shoulders, the blonde moving to sit up on the counter he had been leaning on after being slammed onto it, his legs held in a death grip so he wouldn't think about running away. Axel took a large breath before starting in on his story. "He ... It wasn't so bad before the last time we were here. He'd just come into my ... my room ... every once in a while. He ... liked to ... to strangle me..." The redhead felt the hands of his nightmares latch onto his throat, but forced himself to keep breathing. Roxas' fingers dusted through those red spikes as he leaned forward, wanting nothing more than to see Axel not so scared again. The redhead forced all of his concentration on how good it felt to finally have Roxas touching him so caringly.

"He did more, didn't he, Axel?" Xemnas prodded gently when the panic had eased from Axel's face. For the first time in a year, Axel looked directly into those golden eyes shining above him.

"Y-You know he did. You were the one that told him to stop. But he didn't. He just hid it from you."

Xemnas sighed. "So he continued beating you?" Axel nodded sadly, hiding his face in Roxas' baggy pant leg. "When was the last time it happened?" Axel shifted nervously.

"Promise he won't hurt me anymore?"

"I promise, Axel."

Axel took a deep breath. "He ... did it last night. Every night. Every night we've been in Twilight Town. Even if someone mentioned the word Twilight Town..." The redhead gripped the teen's legs harder.

"He wanted to skip this town, you know. He begged me of it. Because of a ... certain child. But, Axel, will you show me the extent of your injuries?"

Hesitating a moment, Axel slowly moved Roxas' legs to pull up his shirt, not looking at Xemnas as the barrier was removed. Bite marks were still clearly visible along with the angry bruising covering nearly the entirety of his torso, some marks already appearing to be starting to heal.

"He ... he bit you as well?"

Axel didn't answer, refusing to look at those around him. He was shaking uncontrollably, shoving his face into the blonde's leg once more after it had been replaced, his shirt being pulled down to cover the evidence.

It was then that Luxord decided to say what his friend couldn't. "He raped him, sir." Axel cringed, drawing his legs up to his chest. The fingers that had moved back to play with his hair had stalled, the muscles in the legs that protected him clenched. There was a long, heavy silence between them, but the music and bustle continued to chime all around. Everyone was oblivious to Axel's suffering. Everyone always is. Finally Xemnas spoke.

"How long, Axel? How long has he been doing this to you?" There was forced professionalism coating his voice, but behind it, Axel could hear the overwhelming rage. Confusing the target of the rage, Axel thought he'd done something wrong so he answered into Roxas' leg. "What?" Axel cringed, but faced the grey-haired savior.

"Eight years. Three years after I got here." Another stunned silence. Not even Luxord had known it'd gone on that long. "But," Axel continued, staring at his knees. "It's only been regular for a year. And only bad for the last week." Xemnas and Luxord now both knew for a fact why Axel had suffered, but Roxas was trying to remain oblivious to the cause.

"Axel, please, look at me." The redhead refused to even acknowledge the blonde had spoken. "Axel?" Roxas shifted, moving one of his legs away before Axel reacted.

"No! Roxas! Please don't go!" Axel held onto the remaining leg, begging the blonde to stay, missing the look of understanding in Xemnas' eyes when he finally confirmed his suspicions about the blonde teen. "Don't go! You won't come back, just like last time!"

Axel found it useless to try and keep the blonde with him. If Roxas wanted to leave, he would and there was absolutely nothing Axel could do to stop him.

"Axel ..." The second leg was removed and the redhead slammed his head back against the solid wooden wall of the ball-tossing game booth, clamping his eyes shut as his body broiled in desperation. "I'm not going anywhere." Axel tensed when he felt hands on his knees, picturing Xaldin prying them apart. "It's okay I'm not going to hurt you, Axel." Fire still blazed in his heart when he heard his name being said by the blonde. Slowly, he let his feet slide out like Roxas silently instructed, stopping when the pressure that had gently been applied was removed. He cringed, whipping his head to the side when Roxas moved to rest easily between the redhead's still slightly bent legs and his covered, battered chest, sitting in the redhead's lap with his own slim legs on either side of Axel's waist. "Axel, look at me," the blonde hushed, moving a hand up to caress the elder's cheek, the redhead cringing slightly once more.

But the comforting hand reassured him enough to face the blonde, his eyes still firmly clamped shut. A slow, calming breath slipped out through Axel's lips before shock coursed through him, his body going slack. Roxas was kissing him, soft, slow, perfect. It wasn't until Roxas backed up a little that Axel let his eyes flutter open.

"Axel, tell me, please. Was it my fault that Xaldin hurt you worse?"

Axel pressed his cheek firmly against the blonde's hand, eyes closing once more as tears of remembrance flooded them. "Every time ... he would hurt me ... he'd say your name. That it was all your fault I was suffering. ... I think he did it ... so I'd be scared if I ever saw you again. But I wasn't." Axel threw his gaze back onto the teen. "I wasn't scared, Roxas. He would ... would touch me, Roxas, and say that I would never have anyone else touching me like that. But ... that just made me think of you even more. When he was gentle... I thought about you and he found out, so he didn't do it much. But Roxas ... Even though you coming around made Xaldin mad, thinking of you made it bearable for me."

Tears made their way down Roxas' cheeks as he pressed their foreheads together. "I'm sorry, Axel. I'm so, so sorry." The redhead tried a reassuring smile, tilting his head so that their foreheads still touched, but he could press his lips to Roxas' wrist.

"There's nothing you could have done, Roxas. It's fine."

"Axel, why don't you go close up and get some rest. I'll take care of Xaldin for you." Xemnas broke through the moment, turning on his heel as though that were the end of it. Roxas smiled at the redhead.

"C'mon. I'll help, okay?" Roxas shifted, getting to his feet, holding his hand out for Axel to take. The redhead turned apologetically to the bleached-blonde behind him.

"Uh, sorry about the mess, Luxord. I-"

"Don't worry about it, bud. I've got things under control." Luxord waved them away, moving over the counter to start gathering the display of orange balls that had scattered. Axel sighed but followed contently when Roxas grabbed at his hand. When they got back to his stall, he noticed that everything was still just as it had been only a while earlier, the new trainee already taking over for the redhead's absence.

"D-Demyx? Wh-What are you doing?" The blonde trainee smiled brightly, running his hand through his messy Mohawk-mullet hybrid.

"The Superior asked me to watch the shop while you were gone. But it looks like you're not gonna be back for a while, are ya?" He stuck his tongue out at Roxas, winking at the redhead that adopted a blush, looking down to the hands that were still locked together.

"Xemnas ... gave me the rest of the day off. Are you sure you don't mind? I can come back if you want me to."

"Nope," Demyx reassured him, shaking his head happily. "I'll be fine. I think this would be loads more fun than working the Tower anyways." The trainee's smile widened impossibly farther, but there was a hidden sadness in his eyes. "Luxord came in and told the Superior that Xaldin's been messing with you again, so I guess I'm gonna get to work where he does soon." The happiness had dropped a tone and Axel wondered briefly just how much the relative stranger had been told. He didn't have much time to wonder as Roxas pulled on his hand urgently.

"Well, then, if you're sure, I'm gonna get him outta your hair." Roxas pulled the redhead away. "I've already had supper, so, where d'you wanna go?"

"Are you sure you wanna hang with me this year?"

Roxas looked away, blushing deeply. "I'm sorry I didn't come back last year. ... Some things popped up." Axel led the teen to the far end of the grounds, up to the top of large stone stairs that were littered here and there with other teens getting their drug fix away from the mainstream of the fair. A few of them looked up groggily, but most paid them no mind. They weren't wearing uniforms, so they knew that their illegal activities weren't about to stop anytime soon.

"Yeah, what happened there?" Axel asked as the two sat on the high stone ledge, not fearing the fact that anyone could push them off at any time and they would fall to their deaths from the height. But a voice behind them made the blonde tense.

"Roxas!" The blonde slowly turned to face the brunette getting to his feet.

"H-Hey, Leon."

A sadistic smirk crossed the brunette's features as he moved closer. Roxas moved to fully face the much taller teen, advising Axel with a look to do the same. Both of them had their feet firmly on the stone landing by the time that Leon stood firmly, defiantly, arms crossed over his chest. "What's Seifer's bitch doin' away from his master?"

Roxas shot his gaze down to where Axel's hand was, gripping it tightly, before looking back up at the blue-eyed brunette. "I'm not 'Seifer's bitch'. Not any more." A more devilish smirk crossed the elder's lips.

"That's what you said last time. But, I'm not complaining. If that means that you're up on the market again, who am I to say no?"

Roxas rolled his eyes, inching back towards the gigantic set of stairs, pulling Axel along slightly. "I'm not on the 'market', Leon. So just leave me alone, okay?"

It seemed like Leon was just noticing the redhead standing beside the desirable blonde. He eyed him up and down, raising an eyebrow as disgust crossed his features. "This ... thing? He's your's now?" Roxas didn't bother to answer the brunette, pulling Axel down the stairs after him. When they reached the bottom, Roxas forced a smirk, turning to the redhead.

"You really suck at picking places to hang, ya'know."

Axel gaped at the blonde. "How was I supposed to know that there was a druggie nest up there? I'm only here for a week at a time, Roxas! Who the fuck was that, anyways?" Roxas ran a hand through his blonde spikes.

"Leon. He and Seifer kinda really hate each other, and they both really want me, so they're constantly fighting. It's annoying."

"You've got so much to tell me, Roxas. But I know a place that we can talk with no interruptions. Promise." Axel led the blonde to the special 'Employees Only' trailers, dropping Roxas' hand so that he wouldn't feel forced to join him. "Though I am pretty tired now."

"Do you ... want me to come with you? I mean, I could just let you sleep-"

"No, I want you to come, if you want. But it's the safest place, I'd say."

"I want to." Roxas followed obediently until Axel opened a door near the end of the hallway inside the trailer. The room beyond was small and cramped, hardly any room to put anything more than a small bed with little space to walk around it. But Axel seemed to manage fine as he sat on the edge, looking up with large, expectant eyes at the blonde. When Roxas closed the door, he looked around in confusion. "There's no lock."

Axel gave a small laugh, reaching out for the teen. Roxas backed carefully into the touch. "Of course not. We're on the road a lot. If we ever flipped, you might not be able to get out if it was locked, silly. We all mind each other's privacy, though. Well..." he threw his gaze to the wall beside him. "Most of us." Roxas moved closer, nodding slowly.

"I get it now." He pressed his lips to Axel's when he drew close enough. "So that means that no one will walk in on us?" Axel felt something flip and turn in his stomach.

"D-Depends. What'll we be doing?" His mouth went dry and his breath caught in his throat. Anticipation bubbled through his entire being when the blonde smiled at him, turning to face the redhead ten years older than he. Moving deliberately slowly, the blonde inched forward, placing a hand on the redhead's shoulder when he was close enough.

"I don't know." Roxas placed a knee on either side of Axel's, but for some reason this felt much different than Xaldin. This felt good. "What ever you want, I want, Axel." The younger's voice was low, a seductive purr in the redhead's ear, sending shivers through his body. Pressing their chests together, Roxas looked Axel straight in the eye, begging him to want everything that he wanted. Axel let one of his stunned hands wander around to the blonde's waist, the other moving to guide the blonde's mouth to his.

"I want you to make me forget Xaldin." With that, Axel fell back onto the small bed, bringing Roxas down with him.

xXx

"Will you tell me about Seifer now?"

Roxas chuckled, pressing himself back into the elder male while Axel nuzzled the back of his neck. "You do know that you suck at pillow talk, don't you?"

"Equivalent exchange, Roxas. You promised you'd tell me."

"You really wanna know? It's not that bad, you know."

"I wanna know anyway."

Roxas sighed, closing his eyes, knowing that as long as he was wrapped up tight in Axel's arms, he wouldn't be allowed to keep his secrets secret for much longer. "Really?" Axel nodded. "Fine. I've known Seifer since I was, like, six. He used to be different back then. Still as badass as a kid could be, but he was amazing. I wanted to mean something to him. So I did whatever he wanted when we got older. At first it was just stuff like doing his homework and stuff. Then, one time, he threw me down, when we were fourteen, I think. And he just started kissing me. I didn't mind at all, since I'd admired him for so long."

Axel could feel the blonde beginning to tense so he nuzzled next to the younger's neck once more, hoping he could somehow take away the pain. "But then he crossed the line one time. That was the first time we broke up, because he was scared I was gonna tell on him... For tricking me into having sex. I didn't want it. I really didn't. But that's when I first met Leon. Remember how I said that Leon and Seifer were enemies? Yeah, that meant that I was screwed, literally and figuratively."

Roxas pressed himself closer to the bare chest of the redhead, needing to feel the heat of the only one that had ever cared. "Leon got his crew after me. But Seifer caught wind of it and just when Leon was about to start hurting me, Seifer showed up. They got into a huge fight, so I felt like I had to go back with Seifer if he'd sacrificed that much for me. But he didn't really do it for me. He did it because he considered me a possession. And he wouldn't let Leon have anything of his. But I didn't realize this till a few months ago. So I let him fuck me." The blonde rolled his hips back. "But you're better."

"So why did you get back with him after I was here?" Axel forced out, loving the feeling of the blonde after so long without it.

"I ..." Roxas chuckled slightly, slamming his eyes shut in embarrassment. "I needed someone ... to pretend with." The blonde sighed, not wanting to admit his thoughts to the redhead. Seeing this, Axel nipped at his ear.

"What did you pretend, Roxas?"

"I ... pretended that it was you that I was with. I ... would picture you ... and ... at first it was just by accident but ... I would call your name instead of his. He got so pissed. But he tried not to show it because it would mean that it mattered to him. Really, it was just knowing his toy wasn't loyal. So he threatened Sora until I told him who you were. Today, if I didn't bring back the cash, he said that he'd go after Sora."

"Then why are you here? Why aren't you protecting your brother?" The redhead's grip on the blonde loosened, showing that he could leave if he wanted to. Taking the opportunity of the loose grip, Roxas turned to face the elder.

"I'm gonna call him later. In the mean time..." Roxas leaned closer, pressing his lips to the redhead's jaw line. "I've said all I'm gonna for a while. May I have my reward?" Axel smirked, giving the blonde the sign that he could have as many rewards as he pleased. Pressing their lips together, Roxas rolled them so that he was sprawled on top of the redhead once more.

xXx

"Hey, Sor, um, you need to go get Riku, okay? Go get him and make sure you can get away. ... Yeah, I'm fine. ... No, I swear, I'm okay. ... I'm ... with Axel right now. ... Yeah, I found him. But, Sora, please. I need you to get away from there, okay? ... Seifer, yeah. I don't want him hurting you. ... No, I'll deal with him tomorrow. ... I won't be home tonight, no. ... Okay, love you too. Stay safe." Roxas hung up his phone, laying his head on Axel's shoulder.

"You'll be fine, Roxas. I'm sure you will be."

"Maybe. I dunno. You've never met Seifer."

Axel pressed a soft kiss to the blonde's forehead. "True. But I hope by this time next year, he won't be in your life any more."

"That's right ... you're leaving in a few hours, aren't you?" Axel didn't answer, just hugging the blonde tighter. "I'll miss you, ya'know."

"I'll miss you, too, Roxas."

The blonde smiled happily, snuggling into the redhead's chest, feeling exhausted after the day he'd had. Axel was already dozing five minutes later and he himself was just about to fall asleep before a loud bang registered through the trailer, an angry voice coming from the hall.

"I can't just be fired! I have no where to go! I'm broke!"

"You should have thought about that before you hurt Axel."

The blonde recognized both of the voices, but neither belonged to the grey-haired man that had saved his new-found lover hours prior. No, they belonged to the bleach-blonde man and the black-haired monster. This realization caused a shiver to run through Roxas, angling himself so that he covered more of the redhead's body in an attempt to protect him in case Xaldin decided to break in.

"Why's he so special to all of you, anyways? He's nothing but a runaway runt! He's useless!"

"Axel's become like a brother to me and I'm sure he has with the other crew members! He isn't useless! He's more delightful than you'll ever be, you asshole." Roxas cringed at the sound of Xaldin's growl and a resounding slap along with the blonde's moan as he collided with the trailer wall.

"Roxas... He'll do the same to you if you don't hide!" Axel hissed urgently after being awoken by the noise, fear evident in his voice. Roxas gave a humorless snort.

"Hide? Where? It's impossible in this place. Besides, I don't care if he hurts me. You're more important."

"Roxas ..."

"We'll be okay. You promised me I would be fine, so I will be."

"Little shit!" Was the only warning the two received before the door was flung open, revealing a furious-looking Xaldin, his bulk filling the door frame. His eyes narrowed when they came across the bare back of the blonde that held desperately to the redhead. "What the fuck do you think you're doing? You're mine, Axel!" Xaldin tore through the door, appearing to be about to strike at the honey-blonde teen before his wrist was grabbed by Luxord, his cheek painted red from the force of the blow that had crashed into him seconds before.

"I never was yours, Xaldin!" Axel cried out, trying his hardest to sit up and protect the blonde that was keeping him down.

"It's no use, Xaldin. Just go back to your own place!" Demyx piped up, slipping in through the door and grabbing the behemoth's other arm.

"We've waited too long to do this to you, you bastard!" Others joined the fray, forcing Xaldin back out into the cramped hallway, down to his own living quarters. Axel gripped the blonde tight, burying his face in the younger's chest after having finally succeeding in sitting up.

"He could have hurt you."

"But he won't be hurting you anymore."

Axel couldn't believe the words. For as long as he had been a carny, he had had to deal with Xaldin. The fact that he would no longer have to fear refused to register in his mind. So he just held Roxas tightly, shaking, until finally the blonde pulled back enough to lean down and capture his lips. "It's okay, Axel. Everything's alright. You're okay. You won't have to worry about him ever again."

"Are you sure?"

"As positive as I can be."

xXx

Axel woke to a rumbling room and an almost empty bed. Grogginess gave way to panic when he realized that Roxas was no longer with him. All that remained was a neatly folded sweater where the blonde had spent the night and had made all of Axel's nightmares disappear, a piece of paper resting innocently on top. Secretly, Axel knew that Roxas would be gone, but his mind just wouldn't accept it. He couldn't believe that the blonde could leave him again.

Sitting up, Axel let tentative fingers pick up the note that had been addressed to him. He felt overwhelming saddness as he read it through, once, twice, three times.

Axel

I know that you hate it when I leave, but I couldn't go with you. You know that, don't you? But as long as Sora could be in danger, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I left him high and dry. I'll come back. I don't know when, but I'll come back. When I'm settled down so that you can leave the fair if you want. You can come live with me. Though I guess that would be asking you to leave your own family, wouldn't it?

Demyx came in this morning to try to get you up to help pack up, but I did it in your place. You looked so happy there, I couldn't help it. Pretty much everyone knows at least a little bit about what happened last night. You're probably gonna be teased by a couple of them. Apparently I'm not the only one that liked to hear my name. But, I've got to cut this short, Axel. Xemnas is givin' me the ol' stink-eye because he wants to head out. I wanna be the one to tell you that Xaldin's already been carted off to the Twilight Town jail, so you won't have to worry about him ever again.

I want you to have my sweater. It's not much, but it was custom-made, so, even if you look different, I'll always be able to spot you out in a crowd. I don't know if it'll fit you, since you're so much taller than me and your arms are longer, but, as long as you keep it, I guess, that'd be fine. But, if you don't ... I guess that'd be fine too.

Remember that I'll never forget the one that gave two shits.

Roxas

Axel traced the heart shape drawn haphazardly in front of the blonde's name. He reached over and felt the smooth fabric of the hoody left in his possession. He felt like he was going to drown. He believed that Roxas would stay with him forever.

There was a soft knock at the door before a head of messy blonde hair that looked so close to be the same color as Roxas' slipped inside, gazing with worried aquamarine eyes at the redheaded elder. Seeing that the redhead was awake, he put on a smile that held only a fraction of its usual joy. "Is it ... okay if I come in?" His melodious voice hesitated in just the right spot to show that he was experienced in dealing with the depressed. Axel guessed that there had been a vote taken and Demyx was the unlucky one that had to come and deal with him.

"Why didn't you wake me up? I wanted to say goodbye!"

Demyx took the verbal attack to mean that he had the redhead's permission to enter. "He said that he didn't want to see you off this morning. Something about not liking goodbyes."

"I wanted to see him, Demyx."

The blonde sighed, seeing the tears in the broken redhead's emerald eyes. "I know, Axel. I'm sorry. But he said he'd be back, right? He'll be back." Axel leaned back, gathering the sheets in his lap, his head resting up against the thin wall of his compartment. Demyx stepped forward, waiting for Axel to give him a warning look, but none came. So the blonde sat down on the edge of the small bed down by Axel's feet, reaching out a reassuring hand to rub against his leg in a purely platonic way.

"I'm gonna miss him, Demyx."

"I know you will." Those aquamarine eyes that were normally filled with humor were now looking straight at the door, sorrow the main emotion that could be seen, though there was still that hint of mirth. He let a small smile tug at his lips. "But just think about last night. You showed everyone that you have a nice set of lungs and your screams weren't in pain and fear this time. You should have heard Xaldin. I'm pretty sure he was pulling some of that ugly hair of his out by the roots he was so ticked that you were with someone else."

"E-Everyone heard last night, didn't they?" A blush lined the redhead's cheeks, causing the blonde to smile.

"Yeah, we did. But it's better than what we've been hearing the past week from you. I thought it was cute, myself." The blush deepened while Demyx's smile widened. "I saved you some breakfast, if you want it. I'll bring it in, if you want."

Axel found himself smiling slightly at the kindheartedness that the blonde showed. "Yeah, that would be amazing. Thanks so much, Demyx."

"Don't worry about it."

xXx

Third Meeting

xXx

Roxas didn't come back the year after. Or the year after that. Demyx left with a few of the other crew members, saying that they were going to be in a famous band some day, Xemnas waving them on with words of good luck. Axel felt so alone, left only with Luxord, but the bleach-blonde man was getting old. Every once in a while, Axel would hear the debilitating coughs that the elder would try to hide. But halfway through the year that Demyx had left, Luxord had been left behind in one of the towns. Distraught, Axel didn't believe Xemnas when the gray-haired man told him that Luxord had developed a serious infection in his lungs and had been rushed to the nearest hospital.

Axel lost his happy-go-lucky demeanor, losing the only two friends he'd ever made along with being deserted by the only one he had ever managed to feel some sort of connection for. Xemnas was beginning to worry about him. But it was for other reasons that he called the redhead to his personal office near the end of the year. Five more stops and it would once again be Twilight Town. Five more stops until Axel would most likely be let down once again.

"Axel ..." The redhead gazed into the bloodshot eyes of the Superior, not liking his tone - or lack there of. His normally well-kept demeanor was slipping as he hunched over in his chair, his elbows resting on his knees, a tired expression on his face as he brought the bottle up to his lips for another swig. "You know you're like a son to me, right?"

The redhead didn't respond, leaning on the desk that sat on the opposite side of the small room, wondering where the speech was going to lead.

"Well, I want you to know that ... that things are going downhill." Xemnas gave a sharp, bitter laugh. "Obviously." He looked around in the amber glow, seemingly looking for something, but not quite able to find it. "My brother ... he and I are in the middle of a feud. He wants to take me to court, Axel. He says that Dad left the Organization to him. It's bullshit, but he's a lawyer, so he's obviously got some hardcore evidence or else he wouldn't say he'd take me to court. He knows what he's doing, Axel."

The redhead hugged his arms close to his body, realizing what the elder was saying. The owner of Organization XIII Amusement could very well change hands in the very near future. "What's that gotta do with me?"

Golden orbs dusted over him in the half-light of the Superior's office. "This has got as much to do with you, Axel, as it does with me. I know my brother. I know what he likes and what he doesn't like. And he'll waste no time in getting rid of any trace of me or Dad. Which means that your stall will be going."

Axel raised an eyebrow. "Then I would just work on something else."

Xemnas shook his head sadly. "No. You wouldn't be needed here professionally. But he would keep you."

"Which is a good thing, isn't it? It would mean that I'd get to keep living here, right?"

Xemnas sighed. "You wouldn't want to be. It would be a thousand times worse than anything Xaldin ever did to you. Sephiroth is skilled in mind games and can be a rather physically abusive person."

Axel felt chills roll over his body, knowing that he had to trust Xemnas' words, that the elder had no reason to lie and horrify him like this. "Why tell me this? How do you know it'll be me, Xemnas?" Anger started to seep into the man's voice. And then he was broken once more, whispering the words to the grey-haired man."Why can't you just send me away so that I won't have to go through that again?"

"I know all this because the whole reason he wants this company is because of you, Axel." The elder man hung his head in regret, something the redhead had never seen on the grey-haired man before. "I've done some things in my past that could get a lot of people in a lot of trouble. Sephiroth has condemning evidence of it all and is holding it above my head as blackmail. The only thing stopping him from using it is you, Axel. He wants you."

"Then why not just give me to him and keep the business?" Axel felt a stone drop in his stomach. There they were, talking about him like he was something to be owned. The thought sickened him.

"It doesn't work like that, Axel. It's all or nothing. He knows the money he could make."

"So you're just giving me a heads up so I know I'm fucked now?"

"I'm telling you so that you'll be prepared."

The fear rolling through the redhead made his blood boil in anger. "You have no idea what its like! There's no way to prepare for something like that!" Axel's words echoed around the small room and he suddenly found himself needing Roxas more than he had since the blonde left, even more so than when Demyx and Luxord disappeared from his life. But now ... everyone was failing him. He was completely alone. Even the man that had treated him like a son could do nothing to save him. He would do nothing. Axel was just an expendable pawn in the chess game of life.

Silence blanketed the room after Axel's words and Xemnas took another swig from his bottle. Finally the redhead spoke. "How long until he comes?"

Clouded eyes found Axel in the semi light. "He'll be here in the morning. I'm being left here in Port Royal when everyone else goes."

Shaking, Axel shot his gaze away from the older man. "I'll run away then. When we get to Twilight Town, I'm going to run away and try and find Roxas."

A small amount of anger sifted into Xemnas' voice. "You follow that fool's dream, Axel. But that's all it is, a fool's dream. Even if you happen to survive what Sephiroth is going to put you through - which is not likely - do you know how big Twilight Town is? You would never be able to find a single person in that town without some clue about where he lives. How do you even know he lives there? He could live in Hollow Bastion, the next town over, for all you know!"

Axel glared at the older male, his fists clenched. "I'm going to find him, Xemnas. You can tell Sephiroth to shove it. I will find him!"

Sighing, Xemnas shakily worked his way to his feet, wobbling from the effect of the alcohol in his body. "I think you should go to bed now, Axel. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."

"Is ... that why you told them not to bother to set up my stall?"

Xemnas didn't answer, causing a flare of red hot anger to flood the younger. Seeing that the conversation was over, Axel spun on his heel, crossing over to his own trailer, avoiding any of the eyes that wandered onto him.

xXx

"It's good to finally officially meet you, Axel." A predatory smile was spread over thin lips as the older man in front of the redhead extended his hand in greeting, shivers rocketing over Axel's body. Remembering what Xemnas had told him the night prior, it was with drawn-out hesitation that Axel took the hand offered to him. Blue lighter than the palest sky took him in, hunger peeking at his small, breakable figure.

Now that he was face-to-face with the grey-haired man that looked a few years older than the previous owner of Organization XIII Amusement, he realized that he'd seen him a few times before, walking around various fairgrounds with Xemnas. He hadn't thought much of him at the time, but now fear racked through his body. How foolish he had been to just watch this monster prowl through the grounds.

But there was nothing he could do.

So he just went with his gut. "S-So I hear you'll be bringing around a lot of changes, b-boss?" The last word struck home how desperate a situation he would be in once Xemnas was gone. It was a policy that the two of them had that Axel would never call Xemnas by anything other than that while all the others got into the habit of referring to him as the Superior. The redhead had never known what had given him the special permission, but he didn't argue.

Cruelty was evident in the elder's smirk as he pulled his hand away from Axel's. "It will definitely be a lot different around here, that's for sure. I will make this into the success it is supposed to be."

"I think it's run just fine right now, sir. Xemnas is doing a great job." Axel's defiance earned him a dominating smirk.

"Obviously not, if one of his servants would talk to their new master like that."

Axel couldn't help the glower that worked into his eyes, looking around to the hung-over brother behind the taller grey-haired man. "We're employees, not dogs!" His defiance earned him a quick, harsh back-hand across his cheek. He cringed, stepping back. Too many days he had felt that sting to defy it now.

"You look like a dog to me."

Xemnas stepped forward, gripping his brother's shoulder. "For the remainder of the week, he's still my 'dog', so I don't want to see you lay a hand on him." Sephiroth smirked, seemingly about to defy his brother but thinking better of it before he opened his mouth.

"What ever you insist, brother. I will respect your wishes." Sephiroth turned his smirk onto the redhead. "For now. Come, brother. I wish to see the others. It would be wise to introduce them to their new employer." The elder's voice was like poison to the redhead as he was shouldered out of Sephiroth's way.

xXx

"The fool is gone now, Axel."

Axel's eyes opened slowly, his head spinning in his groggy state. Over the past week he had grown to accept the horrors that would soon be coming, but that didn't stop him from cringing when he heard that voice. So far the extent of his torture had been that slap on the first day. But now he could tell just by the elder's tone that things were going to change.

"Get your things together. You'll be switching trailers."

Not realizing the danger he could get himself into, Axel squinted at the tall man standing in his doorway. "But I like it here." As if to exaggerate this fact, he pulled the blankets at his chin higher up.

"You are switching, Axel. Either gather your belongings or I will drag you out of here without them. And I think you would very much rather bring that sweater under your pillow. The one that belonged to that Roxas boy. It would be a shame if something happened to that."

Axel instinctively reached a hand under his head to make sure that the one-of-a-kind sweater was still where it had been the night prior. Sephiroth smirked at the motion, not missing a thing. "But I have to help the others pack up."

"To them, you left with Xemnas last night."

Fear ran through the redhead, causing his body to shake. "S-So that ... that way ..." He didn't have to have the grey-haired man tell him his motives of making his colleagues believe the lie. Axel knew perfectly well.

"I could do whatever I wanted to you and no one would know any better. Now come along."

Axel cringed, knowing it was the beginning of the end for him. It was the beginning of the end the day that the love of his life cheated on him with his best friend, giving him the idea to run away to the circus.

It took him a few seconds to get his muscles to respond but the first thing he did was grab the sweater and letter tucked safely away beneath his pillow. At first he didn't trust bringing them with him, afraid that Sephiroth would steal them and get rid of them. But then he realized that he would just do the same if he left them there, so he may as well give them a fighting chance. When he moved to grab a set of clothes from the shelf above his bed, Sephiroth's voice stopped him. "I already have clothes for you. All you are to bring are your possessions. Clothes do not count as possessions."

Axel looked down into his hands, down at the only things he even cared about anymore. "Do you ... what will you do with them? The sweater, I mean." Sephiroth cocked his head to the side, smirking that devilish smirk all the while.

"You think I would do something to them?" Axel didn't look up, just nodded slowly. "Oh, why Axel, I'm hurt. I'm a sick bastard, but I'm not heartless. But perhaps I could use them as leverage. Now, if that is all, do come with me."

Axel took a deep breath, knowing that there was nothing he could even think to do to get away from the elder man. Hesitantly, the redhead shuffled out of his bed, standing and stepping closer to the grey-haired elder that reached out towards him. His shoulder was grasped in a strong hand and he cringed. It was still the middle of the morning, so all of the workers were tucked away in bed, preparing for the strain of the day that followed. That meant that there was no one to save Axel as he marched along the Walk of the Doomed.

"Until we reach Twilight Town, this will be your new lodging area. I've had it soundproofed, so, even other businessmen won't be able to hear you even from my office," Sephiroth announced moments later when the two stood in the doorway of a small room a little larger than the one Axel had called home for the past fifteen years. It held nothing more than a double bed and a similar shelf above it that held the clothes that Axel would be now required to wear.

"Which means that Xemnas was right." Axel cowered slightly, moving into his new room.

"What do you mean?"

"You're gonna be worse than Xaldin."

Sephiroth just snorted in humor before closing the door on the redhead.

xXx

"You've gone so soft already, Axel! Here I thought that you would be more promising!" Sephiroth purred into the redhead's ear while Axel trembled beneath him. It had already been three weeks and the tormented man was nearing his limits. It hadn't been continual abuse, but Xemnas had been right. Axel was almost at the point where he wished the man that had put him through such hell would come back. It would be like paradise.

Sephiroth had been quicker to know his limits and knew just what to say to inflict the most emotional pain. "I've broken you in, haven't I, boy? You're not defying me any longer. Where's the fun in that?"

Axel breathed a small sigh of relief. He knew that the grey-haired man was winding his torture down for the night. The teasing tone meant that the worst of the physical abuse would come and then it would all be over for at least a day. If he was lucky, it would be two or three, but he knew the routine by now. Just as he knew that he would soon be laying on the floor as Sephiroth grabbed his hip, pulling out before tossing the redhead away like he was nothing more than a ragdoll. But really, what more could he be? Sephiroth had cut any food consumption down to the smallest possible portion for him to live on. And he would steal even that away if he was defied.

Not even bothering to look up, Axel trembled where he lay, crumpled, broken and still bleeding on the floor. And then Sephiroth was on him again. "Are you going to answer?"

Axel's eyes rolled when the elder gripped a hold of his chin. "Question?" He hadn't been paying attention to the grey-haired man's words. He was more concerned with keeping hold of his withering sanity. Just like he expected, he was backhanded across the cheek, breaking his battered lip open until it started to leak droplets of crimson the color of his hair.

"Why aren't you defying me? I want you to defy me tonight."

Axel's eyes couldn't stay open. "I-I ... I can't. I'm ... exhausted. I'm ... useless. ... And you'll ... burn up ... the letter ... and ... the sweater..." The words were forced as every part of him burned from the pain of the past three weeks. That smirk that he dreaded floated back onto Sephiroth's lips.

"Then you had best be glad that we're only a stop away from Twilight Town."

Roxas, was the one word that corresponded with the destination. But it made him wonder what was so special about it to the grey-haired man. "Wh-Why Twilight Town?"

"Roxas, of course."

To show that further discussion wouldn't even be thought about, Sephiroth struck out, slamming his balled fist into the redhead's jaw.

xXx

"He-ey, Roxas, wait up!" The blonde rolled his bright blue eyes in the gathering darkness.

"It's gonna rain soon, Hayner! I need to get back home!"

"But Roxas ..." Hayner's voice drifted off, finding no argument for the honey-blonde boy that was no longer a teen. He was twenty now, living in his own apartment with his own cat he had rescued on his own, paying his own bills with his own job. If Roxas wanted to go home, he would, boyfriend or no boyfriend.

"I'm sorry Hayner, but-"

"Hey, guys! Wouldn't wanna interrupt your lover's spat, but there's someone laying over there!" A third voice chimed in, the duo's reliable best friend pointing through the scattered rays of the street lights. Roxas turned to where Pence was pointing, a hint of curiosity dashing out the intense need to run for cover. The slightly taller, slightly older blonde pulled up beside him, instantly lacing their fingers in a last attempt to keep the boy he loved close.

"Maybe they're dead! Let's go kick it and find out!" Hayner stepped forward, but the grip on his hand tightened, the stone sinking in Roxas' chest holding the elder back.

"Th-that's my sweater," he breathed, feeling as though his eyes were playing a horribly cruel trick on him. It'd been four years since he's been to the large parking lot he was standing by now that held the annual carnival that had left earlier that morning; four years since he'd last seen that sweater; four years since his life changed for the better. But he couldn't possibly be seeing right. There was no way that that could really be a person laying, crumbled and broken, fifty feet away.

Hayner applied a bit of pressure to the younger blonde's hand, begging for his attention. "What'd you say, Rox?"

"It's my sweater!" And he was running, leaving the other two behind. Hayner and Pence glanced at each other before taking off after him. Their jaws dropped when they came upon the body, Roxas already kneeling down beside the strewn-about limbs. "Don't be dead. Please don't be dead! Call an ambulance! Oh God, Axel! Let me be wrong!"

"Roxas, what the hell is going on?" Hayner pressed when Pence pulled out his cell phone, moving away to do the job of alerting the right people. The elder blonde knew a little about Axel, like the fact that Roxas was - and always would be - hopelessly in love with the redhead, so Hayner would always just be second best. He also knew that Axel worked for the carnival company that came through once a year. So Hayner felt a cold chill run through him when Roxas kept repeating the stranger's name.

"Axel, please, wake up. You're breathing, so I know you're alive." Roxas moved to try and get the hooded figure to move, but all he would gain was a frightened whimper. "Axel, c'mon, please!" The small blonde finally succeeded in turning the body over, cringing at the whine of pain but grumbling when he found the arms that had just been lain haphazardly had now been pulled up to cover the man's face. "Axel, c'mon, it's me! It's Roxas!"

"Maybe a nice, hard kick in the ribs would do the trick," Hayner joked, the jealousy gathering in his body and escaping through his voice. Roxas sent him an angry, unamused glare.

"Shut the fuck up, Hayner. I'm not in the mood for joking right now." Turning his attention back to the cowering figure, Roxas missed the hurt expression Hayner wore. Taking one of the covering arms, Roxas easily pulled it away, finding no resistance as a strand of red hair sifted out from the hood. "Axel, please!" Roxas removed the elder man's arm with just as much ease, revealing gorgeous emerald orbs clamped shut. "Axel, please, look at me. It's Roxas. Just look at me. You'll be okay now."

It took a few more moments of coaxing for the tension in the redhead to subside slightly, Hayner stomping off in a huff to be comforted by Pence. Finally alone with the redhead, Roxas forced a small, gentle smile. "Axel, look at me." Memories from the years before flooded the blonde and his small smile became a little more genuine even though the panic still coursed through him. Taking a breath, Roxas pressed their lips together, feeling a little bad for the action with the bruised and broken state of the redhead's lips. As he pulled back, the emerald eyes that he had longed to see for years drifted open slowly.

"R-Rox...as?"

"Yeah, Axel, it's me." Roxas placed their foreheads together, tears dusting down his cheeks. At least Axel was really still alive, though for how much longer, Roxas wasn't sure. His breathing was spasmodic, hitching in his throat every few breaths as he gasped for air. "What the hell happened to you? I thought Xaldin was still locked up!" Axel seemed as though he was trying to answer the blonde, but the words couldn't even be forced out. He began shaking, the cool night air losing heat faster as the storm approached. "You're gonna be okay, Axel. I promise. Pence called the ambulance. You're gonna be fine. Please, let you be fine." The first raindrops were beginning their journey down to the earth and Axel shut his eyes once more, no energy left to keep them open.

"He'll get sick if he stays in the rain, you know." Hayner advised softly on his return, Pence following close behind. "But you're pretty warm, Rox. Why don't you share some body heat with him?" Roxas tore his gaze away from the redhead for the first time in minutes.

"How?"

"Unzip both of your sweaters and move up your shirts. It would be better than having him die from pneumonia." Roxas took a shaky breath, the tears still rolling down his cheeks. He did as he was advised, first taking off his sweater to remove his shirt before replacing it, not zippering it back up.

"A-Are you sure you're okay with this, Hayner?" Roxas asked as he started to unzip the redhead's hoody, looking up at the elder blonde. Hayner held a soft smile on his lips, hiding his heartbreak.

"Sorry, Roxas, but, I don't think we're together anymore." The elder sighed, running a hand through his falling spikes, the gel holding them up being washed away by the steadily increasing amount of rain. "I knew that if Axel ever came back, you would want to be with him. So, I'm saving you the trouble of that awkward break-up speech." More tears mixed with rain as they travelled down the younger blonde's cheeks, but he didn't respond, knowing that any more time lost could spell disaster for the redhead. He cringed when he exposed the bruised and bloody chest and abdomen of the eldest man.

"What the hell happened to you, Axel?" He asked again, not expecting an answer. Moving to straddle the elder's hips, Roxas gently pressed their bare torsos together, hearing the whimper of pain escaping the redhead. "Shh, it's okay. I know it hurts, but I'm here. You'll be okay, Axel. You'll be okay."

The moments passed slowly, the only sounds being Axel's labored breathing and the steady fall of raindrops pelting the pavement. Finally sirens could be heard in the distance and Roxas breathed a sigh of relief. The ambulance rounded the corner and Hayner and Pence started to wave it over to them. Two paramedics jumped out of the back, dragging a stretcher. Roxas moved away as quickly as he could when they approached, following after the redhead as he was placed on the stretcher, being wheeled quickly back to the ambulance.

"Rox, we'll come in tomorrow and see you guys, okay?" The elder blonde touched Roxas' arm, letting it slip away as the younger moved by.

"Thank you so much, Hayner."

"Don't mention it." The two forced smiles in the dire situation, Roxas jumping up in the back of the ambulance with the redhead.

xXx

"Nng." Axel moaned when he slowly came back into consciousness, his head spinning from all of the painkillers filling his body. Despite the medication, he still hurt everywhere. He didn't dare open his eyes, afraid to see Sephiroth looming somewhere just out of reach, but then the feeling in his hand alerted him to someone's presence. Someone holding his hand. He moaned again, knowing that there was no use hoping it wouldn't be Sephiroth because the grey-haired man had been lying when he said he was to be left behind in Twilight Town. He was still laying in the bed that had been reserved just for him. The torture the night prior had been the worst he'd ever felt and so Sephiroth had been generous and given him some pain killers.

"Axel? Are you awake?"

That voice ... it had to be a lie. It had to be. He'd waited years to hear that voice again. So of course it would be his imagination playing tricks on him.

"Axel, look at me?"

Roxas ... it was Roxas. But Roxas was gone. Seifer had gotten a hold of him and killed him. Roxas was dead.

But how could he be dead if he was pressing their lips together, holding back his relief so as to not hurt the redhead any more than he already was. When the younger pulled back, Axel's eyes drifted open. His vision swimming, four Roxas' wavered in front of him. "C-Can you ... stay still? ... Please?" The four Roxas' laughed, sending happiness rocketing through the redhead. The blonde's laugh was Axel's favorite sound in the world.

"They've got you on loads of meds, Axel. I would stay still if I could. Just look at me for a second. Maybe it'll get better soon." Axel did as he was told, gazing up with his brilliant emeralds. Finally four turned to three which turned to two. When there was only one Roxas standing above him, Axel could pick out the tears leaking down the blonde's cheeks.

"Roxas ..."

"Don't ever scare me like that again, asshole! I thought you were dead!"

Axel didn't have to force the smile on his lips. "Trust me, Roxas. ... Takes a lot ... to kill me."

Roxas gave in, bending down for another kiss.

xXx

Axel had been in the hospital for a few days, two broken ribs and a punctured lung healing nicely already. The bruising was beginning to fade away and he was starting to look healthier even though most of his bones still stuck out from so long without proper nourishment. Hayner and Pence had been in a few times, none of them mentioning the fact that Roxas and Hayner had been together before Axel showed up again. Hayner didn't hold any hard feelings for the redhead, secretly issuing a challenge he knew he would never win - to win Roxas back.

The doctors said that Axel could be released from the hospital the next day as long as he promised to take it easy. Roxas assured them that he would so they left the two in relative peace. Roxas was laying in the elder's arms on the small bed, so happy to feel that heat surround him again.

"So, do I get to know what happened to you now?"

Axel kissed the back of the blonde's neck. "I dunno. Do you?"

"Please?"

"What do I get out of it?"

Roxas thought for a moment. "A place to live and someone to protect you?"

"You already promised me that a few years ago."

The blonde sighed. "I'll let you play with Olette."

"Who's that?"

"My cat."

Axel pondered it for a moment before he kissed the blonde again. "Fine. I guess I can tell you." So he started at the beginning of Sephiroth's reign, continuing on to say all the pain he'd gone through. Roxas was silent through it all, vowing that if he ever saw Sephiroth, he would kick the bastard's ass. "Xemnas had told him about how I was so ... focused on you, so, Sephiroth decided he would beat the living hell out of me and then just drop me off when they left Twilight Town. He said that that way, I could go find you, if I could manage to survive."

"I'm gonna kick his ass. I will go out and find that sorry bastard and I will murder him!" Roxas was shaking from his anger.

"Thanks for the offer, Roxas, but, I would rather you not. I don't think even a gun could kill him. He's badass."

Roxas huffed, only calming when Axel pressed them closer.

"Excuse me, sirs, but, I have your medicine," came a voice from the door and both of them turned to see the small nurse blushing slightly in the doorway. Axel sighed, disentangling his long arms from around the blonde, rolling over to lay on his back, shoving himself to sit up. Roxas blushed, wishing he could magically become invisible.

"Thanks."

"I'm sorry for interrupting."

Axel waved her away as he looked at the medicine that she handed him.

xXx

"This is where you live?" Axel gaped around the entryway to the simple apartment. It was much bigger than anything that Axel had lived in for fifteen years. Roxas slipped off his shoes, laughing at the redhead.

"No, this is where we live." Roxas took the redhead's hand after he had taken off his own tattered shoes that Sephiroth had thrown out with him like trash. Axel held the sweater and letter he had managed to salvage close to his chest, biting his lip as he stepped slowly and carefully, almost afraid that any wrong move would have Sephiroth springing out from no where. His eyes looked at the wall across from him, right above a comfortable-looking couch.

"I-Is that ..." Roxas followed Axel gaze, blushing slightly when he saw the framed, deflated balloon that held the redhead's amazement.

"Y-yeah. Of course I would keep the first gift I'd gotten from someone that gave a shit." Axel felt his face begin to break in a smile. Tightening his grip on the blonde's hand, Axel pulled Roxas close for a tight hug.

"I'm glad I gave a shit, Roxas."

"I'm glad you did too."

xXx

The End

xXx

Can you blame me for having it be nearly a month late? I had it written for their day, I swear! So, happy Belated AkuRokuday all! Keep the love going!

~xbuttonsx~