Summer of Love

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of it's characters.

AN: This story is going to contain themes that will be upsetting to some people. I debated even writing this, but I'll always remember what my Creative Writing teacher told me. "Don't be afraid to write something, just because it'll offend someone. If it's going to offend someone, all the more reason to write it." I'm not necessarily trying to offend anyone, but I admit it's possible. I'll tell everyone straight out, Roxas is 17 in this fic, and Axel is 26. That means, a minor will be participating in sexual acts with an adult. If that bothers you, don't read it. I'll ignore any flames on that issue. I do not support Pedophilia in any way, but this is a work of fiction. I consider writing this, being no worse than writing a story about murder. I understand if you think I'm a sick person, but if that's the case, then don't read.

So, if you're still reading after that, I hope you enjoy the story.

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Chapter one:

Axel was not amused.

He was 26 for christ's sake. He had his own life, and his own job, in a different effing city (mind you, it was only about 15 minutes away) and he shouldn't have to drop everything and be forced to spend every second of his free time being a lifeguard.

He blamed his father. He was really good at guilt trips. Of course when he'd first gotten the phone call asking him to help out at the lake since the college girl they had originally hired to be a lifeguard bailed to move back home because her brother's wife's cousin's best friend's uncle had died, or something, he had told his dad that he couldn't, he was just too busy with his new tattoo parlor he'd just opened. Of course that hadn't flown too well, though. His dad played the, "Oh, my baby boy is just so grown up, he has no time to help out his own family when they need him" card. Axel had protested, saying he'd love to help him out, but the first few months of a business were critical, and he needed to be there, and only triggered "It's okay, I understand. Maybe we'll just have to sell the park." So, in the end, Axel caved, and he was now cursing his own spinelessness.

He sat on the life guard chair, scanning the beach uninterestedly, bored out of his mind. He really had better places to be, and he was really beginning to regret ever becoming a qualified lifeguard.

He sighed, leaning his head back, and closing his eyes, feeling the sun beat down on his face. He was exhausted too. All of the running back and forth he'd been doing was really beginning to wear him out.

"What would you do if a child drowned right now while you were taking a nap?"

It took him a moment to realize the question was being directed towards him. He slowly lifted his head up and glanced down, seeing his father standing below him on the sand, water lapping at his bare feet. He was carrying a glass of lemonade in one hand, and shielding his dragon green eyes, which matched the color of Axel's, with his other. He had a crooked smile on his face, and he offered the glass up to Axel.

"Thought you looked hot, so I made you some lemonade." Sunshine said, holding the cold glass against his son's knee.

Axel jerked his leg away, and took the glass.

"You know I wouldn't be hot if I was at work." He'd be making money too. Not only did his dad guilt him into helping out, he wasn't paying him for it either.

Sunshine chuckled guiltily. "I know. Your mom and I really appreciate this though. Thank you for helping."

Axel sighed, unable to stay truly annoyed with his dad. "Yeah, yeah, I know."

Sunshine glanced around the beach, and his eyes suddenly lit up, before he smirked up at Axel.

"Did you notice those foxy ladies over there checking you out?" He asked slyly, nudging Axel's foot, and tilting his head in their direction. "They look a little young, but the one in the blue bikini's probably about your age."

Axel tilted his sunglasses down, and looked where his father was indicating. A group of girls in their late teens were spread out on a blanket and a few lawn chairs, and the second Axel's gaze landed on them they all began giggling. He sighed and rolled his eyes, looking back at Sunshine.

"You're kidding, right? She can't be older than 18."

Sunshine just shrugged. "18 is legal."

"She's still a baby." Axel said firmly. "And not even my type anyways."

Sunshine sighed, and crossed his arms on top of the platform Axel was resting his feet on, and looked up at him.

"You're 27, Axel." Sunshine started before Axel interrupted him.

"26." He corrected.

"26. Not the point. You're 26, but you hardly even date. You should've been married years ago, and you're not even seeing anyone!" Sunshine and Momo, Axel's mother, were a bit of what Axel liked to call a hippies, and they both firmly believed in "free love", a concept they often tried to push onto their two son's. Reno had accepted it fairly easily, but they just didn't seem to be able to comprehend the fact that Axel didn't have sex with every attractive person that came along. They themselves had a fairly open marriage, and didn't think it was wrong to continue dating other people as long as the other was aware of it. Axel believed in monogamy, and it baffled his parents.

"Look, I'll find someone eventually, okay? I'm not going to just run off, and get hitched to the first person that comes along though." Axel felt his annoyance returning, and luckily Sunshine was sharp enough to catch it.

"Okay, okay. I understand. I just don't like it that you're always alone." He placated the younger, running a hand through his chestnut brown ponytail, and patted Axel's foot as he straightened. "We'll be up at the house if you need anything." Sunshine said, before turning and heading up the hill that held their house.

Axel grit his teeth, and went back to surveying the water, making sure no one was drowning. As his gaze passed the docks, his eyes caught a flash of blond in the mass of kids and teens. Something in him jumped at the sight, and he did a double take, scanning the people again, searching for whatever it was that had caught his attention. Who had that been? He asked himself, searching the faces. He caught a glimpse of bright blue eyes for a second, before he jumped when he felt a hand on his ankle, and heard the delicate clearing of a throat. He glanced down and saw three of the girls from the group that Sunshine had pointed out earlier, batting their eyelashes up at him with flirtatious have grin's on their faces. They all three had blonde hair, and he wondered if they all bleached it.

"Hey, are you new around here? We haven't seen you before." The girl in the pink bikini said. Incidentally she was also the one with her hand on his ankle.

Internally he groaned, externally he gave her a friendly smile, again wishing he could be anywhere but where he was.

---

Roxas sat staring into the water that he was splashing his feet in. His fingernails were digging into the wood of the dock, and he forcefully pulled his eyes away, watching his friends who were splashing around, and diving off of the dock. He laughed at Sora who was being dunked by Riku who was trying to see if Sora's spikes would go flat if they got wet enough. So far he was being unsuccessful.

"Roxas!" Sora spluttered when he was let up for air. "Help me!" Roxas' smile faltered as he stared back down at the water, unable to see the bottom. He saw a piece of seaweed float by and he scowled as he pulled his feet up on the dock with his knees pressed to his chest, and his arms wrapped around them tightly.

He continued staring into the lightly rippling water, with his eyebrows furrowed. He found that if he stared hard enough he could see the swirling seaweed far below. He shuddered and gripped his knees tighter, when the dock suddenly wobbled, and he felt himself titter forward as Hayner plopped down next to him, and threw his arm around his shoulder. He scrabbled at the boards, his fingers finding a knothole, and grabbing on, as he felt his heart rate jump. His eyes were wide and he shot his gaze to Hayner.

"Oops, sorry Rox. Didn't mean to scare you." He said, grinning sheepishly, and taking his arm off of Roxas' shoulder. "Seifer just called and said he just got here with Tidus and the girls, and they're just unloading the car, they'll be here in a minute." Roxas just managed to give him a week nod, and he scooted back a little from the edge.

Hayner frowned. It was common knowledge that Roxas was scared of deep water, but no one other than Sora really knew why. He'd trying pressing him before, but whenever the subject was brought up, Roxas froze up, and refused to speak about it.

Hayner wanted to ask him why he was even out here, if it scared him so much, but he was a little hesitant. Him and Roxas were good friends, but they never really talked about deep or meaningful stuff, and he felt awkward trying to bring it up.

Luckily he was saved from the uncomfortable moment by a flying ball of yellow that hit him in the back, and knocked him forward into the water.

He came up to the surface, coughing up water and spluttering, looking up to see Roxas staring at him wide eyed, and mouth hanging open slightly.

"What the hell just happened?" He saw Seifer come up and stand behind Roxas, and he turned around, right as Selphie surfaced, smiling widely.

"Hehe! I always wanted to do that!" She swam over to the dock, and climbed up, running over to give Roxas a much calmer hug, and getting him wet in the process.

"Hiiiiiiii Roxas!" She said, taking Hayner's spot next to the boy.

"Hi Selphie." He responded, unable to help cracking at least a small smile.

She smiled before somersaulting forward into the water, and swimming over, wrapping her arms around Hayner's neck.

"Piggy back ride!" She shouted, throwing her legs around his waist, and causing him to go under. Holding, his breath, he managed to pry her arms and legs off, and got away from her, swimming back over to the dock.

"Tidus, control your squirrel!" He shouted to the blond boy who was coming down the dock towards them.

"Leave Hayner alone, Selphie." He said, deadpan, as he dropped a pile of towels down next to Roxas, who was chuckling at the pouty look on Selphie's face.

"Meeeeeeean!" She said, sticking her tongue out at the group of them as she continued to tread water, suddenly her face changed though and she bounced slightly in the water. "Ooh, ooh! Roxas! Did you see the cuuuuute life guard? He's sooo pretty!" She said, hurrying back over to the dock, and jumping up standing up on tip toes trying to get a good look.

Roxas turned around, couldn't see anything and turned back. "Nope, I didn't." He said, not really caring all that much. "Wait a second…" Roxas paused, looking confused. "Did you say 'he'?" He lifted an eyebrow and gave Selphie a look.

"I'm not gay." He said, though it was obvious Selphie didn't care. He just rolled his eyes. His friends all figured that since he'd never been interested in any girls, that must mean he was interested in guys. It annoyed Roxas that they didn't get it that he just wasn't interested, period. Dating and sex might work for some people, but Roxas had never seen the big draw. Sure, he figured sex felt good and all, but he figured it wasn't worth all of the hassle that relationships always seemed to bring. He was perfectly content being alone.

"Yeah, yeah. But he's soooo cool looking!" She said, continuing to hop around trying to get a good look. Olette noticed Roxas' uncomfortable expression, and walked up to Selphie putting her hand on Selphie's shoulder, drawing her attention.

"Why don't you go see what Riku and Sora are up to?" She suggested, motioning over to where the two were rough housing in the water down at the other end of the dock.

"Okay!" She said, skipping off to bother the two friends.

Roxas gave her a grateful smile, once Selphie was gone.

"Hey, guys! I bought some ice cream!" Roxas looked up to see Pence approaching, holding a bag full of the blue popsicles.

"Count me in!" Roxas shouted, jumping to his feet, glad that now that everyone was showing up, it was easier to keep his mind off of the water.

Pence passed the popsicles around, and they retreated to the opposite side of the dock to meet up with the others.

"Kairi and Namine are over on the beach." Pence told Roxas and Hayner. "Kairi said she wanted to work on her tan, and I think Namine is reading." It was directed mostly to Roxas, offering him an escape if staying on the dock got to be too much for him.

"I'll go say 'hi' in a bit." Roxas replied, giving Pence a grateful smile, as he slurped on his sea salt ice cream.

Roxas smiled when he saw his brother. Though surprisingly, Riku wasn't anywhere around.

"Hey Sora, Pence got ice-cream!" Roxas said, smiling as he walked up to him, Sora smiled, and opened his mouth to respond when he suddenly was pulled under the water. "Sora!" Roxas ran over, falling to his stomach on the end of the dock, and reaching down, hand searching through the water. "Sora!" He panicked.

A moment later, Riku shot up from under the water laughing, soon followed by Sora.

"Riku, you're so rude!" Sora shouted, punching Riku in the shoulder, as he spit out water.

Roxas froze when he realized Sora had never actually been in any real danger, it had just been a joke. He suddenly felt sick to his stomach, and he stood up.

"Roxas…" Olette put her hand on Roxas' arm, but he backed away.

"I'm fine. I'm going to go see what Kairi and Namine are up to." He turned around to head back to the beach.

"Roxas!" Sora climbed out of the water and rushed over to his brother. "I'm sorry, I don't think Riku realized you were there, he didn't mean to scare you." He said grabbing his hand, and pulling him to a stop.

"I…I know." Roxas replied. "I'm fine. I'm just going to go see Kairi and Namine for a bit." He said, giving Sora a weak smile. Sora wasn't very convinced, but he let him go.

On his way over to the girls, Roxas found a wallet lying in the sand. He flipped it open to look at the picture on the driver's license. It was a middle aged man with spiky brown hair which was pulled back into a messy ponytail. A pair of round purple tinted glasses rested on his nose, and he was giving the camera a peace sign. Roxas lifted an eyebrow at the picture, and glanced around the beach, trying to spot the man. He didn't see him anywhere, so he looked around for the lifeguard.

He spotted him almost immediately, it was hard not to with that hair. He was sitting, elevated on a lifeguard chair, and was surrounded by a group of girls, who Roxas could tell were blatantly flirting. Even from this distance it was obvious, and Roxas rolled his eyes. He briefly remembered Selphie saying something about the guy being "soooo cool looking", but he couldn't really tell from the distance. Plus, he really didn't want to try and fight his way through that mob surrounding the guy, so he figured he'd wait it out, and go sit by Namine and Kairi for a bit.

---

Axel had finally deemed the situation hopeless. These girls didn't know how to take a hint. He'd decided to try the ignoring method, but all that got him was a manicured hand sliding up his leg.

"What're you thinking about?" The girl in the lacy green bikini asked, giggling in what she thought was a cute way. It just reminded Axel of a possessed doll. He moved his leg away.

"I'm thinking about how terrible it would be if someone drowned, because I didn't notice them, because you're here, feeling my leg up and distracting me." He grit out.

She tilted her head to the side, looking like a dumb dog. "Huh?"

Axel just rolled his eyes.

"Look, you're how old?" He asked.

"16." She said, and giggled again, the high pitched creepiness of it caused Axel to cringed.

"Right. Guess how old I am." He said, leaning forward to get a better look at them.

"Uhm…19?" She guessed.

"Try 26." He told her, and her eyes widened. "Yeah, see? I have a job to do." It was clearly a dismissal, and he sat back up refusing to look at the girls.

"Geeze. What a jerk!" He heard one of them say, before they retreated back to their towel. He was just grateful to finally be left alone.

He went back to surveying the water, his eyes briefly searched the dock again, but he couldn't find whatever it was that had caught his attention earlier. He blew his whistle at some teen with silver hair rough housing with a smaller looking brunette, but for the most part, it was looking like it was going to be a pretty uneventful day.

"Uhm…excuse me?"

Axel looked down, and instantly wished he hadn't.

"I found this on the beach." The boy had blonde hair, which was all swept to one side, and stood up in spikes. The boy was looking off to the side, appearing to be avoiding Axel's eyes. He held up a wallet to Axel, his gaze flickering over briefly, before focusing out on the water again. Axel's breath caught for a second. The boy had the clearest, and bluest eyes he thought he'd ever seen, framed by dark lashes that just seemed to make them stand out more.

The kid was gorgeous.

And there was no way he was over 18.

Axel suddenly felt like a really dirty old man, and he scolded himself inside, for checking out a kid. Maybe his dad was right, he really needed to get laid, especially if the lack of sex was going to turn him into a pedo.

He cringed, before giving the kid a forced smile. Though it wasn't like he was looking anyways.

"Thanks." Axel said, reaching down to take the wallet, gritting his teeth when he accidentally brushed his fingers against the blond boys'. The kid's eyes flickered up to his again, before he nodded, and turned to walk away.

Axel wasn't sure why he did it, and the entire time he was cursing himself for it, but he was unable to stop himself as he called out to him.

"Do you come here often?" 'Wow.' Axel thought. 'Even I think that was cheesy.' It worked though, and the kid turned around.

"I've been coming about once a week or so. My friend Hayner lives nearby." The kid said, giving Axel a curious look, obviously confused as to why the lifeguard would care how often he came.

Axel couldn't help a small smile from flitting across his face. "Good." He said quietly, not sure if Roxas could hear.

He figured he should stop, but a something in him really didn't want this kid to walk away. He continued staring up at Axel, looking expectant as if he figured Axel was going to explain why he asked the question. Axel himself wasn't sure, or at least didn't want to admit why.

"What's your name?" He asked after a few moments.

"Roxas."

Axel gave him a smile. "Well, it's nice to meet you Roxas." He held up the wallet. "Thanks for turning this in."

Roxas furrowed his brow a little, before giving Axel a short nod.

"Yeah, no problem." He turned and walked away. Axel watched him as he sat down on a towel with two girls, who must've been twins, and he was surprised at the little spike of jealousy he felt when Roxas immediately began smiling and laughing with them.

Axel pulled his gaze away and looked at the wallet, sighing and rolling his eyes when he realized it was his dad's.

After a minute or so, his eyes drifted back over to Roxas, before he jerked them away, yelling at himself, while at the same time repeating over and over, that it was just because he was cute. Like a puppy. It's okay to look at cute puppies.

It sounded lame even to himself.

TBC