Author: Dillick

Rating: M

Characteristics: (YAOI: Axel X Roxas, A.U. Lemon)

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of the associated articles. Also I do not own any songs mentioned as they belong to their respective owners.

SALIGIA I. SUPERBIA THEME: "How Soon Is Now?" - Lovesplit

Pride

"Where are you going?" Roxas called.

"Oh calm down. I'm just gonna go get my bag. Gimme five minutes." Axel responded, turning his back on Roxas and walking down a hallway to his left.

Roxas stared at his friend as he briskly walked down the hall, turned, and disappeared up the stairwell. Although Axel was a grade ahead of him, Roxas always found it comforting to have a friend who thought on the same wavelength. While the two were polar opposites emotionally, and had very different personalities, they both knew what loneliness felt like. They were both social outcasts in the world of high school cliques, gangs, and clubs. Having known each other from elementary school, it seemed more so that they chose to break away from their socialite peers, instead of becoming gossip-spreading, money grubbing, class flunking, mood swinging, snobby-bitchy, teenagers. No they were more refined. They were quiet, intellectual, peace-loving, deep-thinking, creative, bad-ass-looking teenagers. And while they didn't fit the mold of what a teenager "should" be… they weren't completely out of the loop, and would often orchestrate quarrels and arguments between cliques from behind the scenes, without even denting their credibility. And yet… for some time now, Roxas had been longing to tell Axel that he wanted to be more than a best friend. He wanted to be… a lover. And as close as they were… he wanted to be that much closer. But his shyness and fear of rejection kept holding him back.

"Got it!" Axel informed, spinning around once to show the black and red bag strapped firmly to his back.

Axel was taller and had broader shoulders than Roxas. His spiky pomegranate hair came down to his shoulders, but was slicked back into what appeared to be a very edgy lion's mane. His face was slender and bore sharp angles and a slightly sloping jaw. His skin was pale, which only helped to accentuate his bizarrely beautiful turquoise irises. Thick black eyelashes sprouted in long slanting lines around his cat-like eyes. Axel was very slender, but toned and well proportioned for his height. He was the more coordinated, more outwardly spoken, callous, aggressive member of the duo. His silver-tongue could always smooth over any choppy seas, but… if ever talking wasn't enough, his unusual dress, apathetic disposition, and intense conviction made it clear that he could not be stopped.

"You said five minutes." Roxas replied, smirking a bit.

"That was five minutes."

"Six minutes and twenty-seven seconds." Roxas said pointing at the watch on his wrist. They both laughed.

Although shorter, Roxas still had a look that was all his own. His brown-blond locks poked up in disheveled spikes. His face was a bit rounder than Axel's, but looked more square-shaped, with his sloping at a slightly broader angle. His youthful expressions were often hidden behind his stoic face of stone, but somehow, Axel could lure out those tender child-like expressions that Roxas emitted so well. Roxas had soft light-peach skin that fit his young figure well. His sea blue eyes, were round and glittered like blue topaz. Although Roxas was usually very reserved, and often times timid, when it was just the two of them, Roxas became vibrant, energetic, and even… sensitive. He didn't handle others well, but the side of him that Axel knew was well worth any amount of money the world could offer.

"Ready to go?" Axel asked.

Placing a finger to his chin and pondering, Roxas smiled and then responded. "Yup!"

"Alright let's go!" And the two walked out the door, beginning their trek to Axel's house. Roxas had decided. It was time to let his voice be heard.

~D~

Hours later Roxas was rummaging through Axel's walk-in closet as he always did after school. Axel was lying on his bed, rambling about random things in an almost philosophical way. Things that happened during the day usually came out in such ramblings, as that was how he divulged how he was feeling to Roxas. Roxas, a born multi-tasker, would always listen while exploring Axel's belongings. Often times he'd borrow something or find something that Axel didn't mind giving him. They often traded items and swapped clothes as they had the same tastes and were about the same sizes although Axel's clothes were usually a size bigger, so they fit semi-loose on Roxas' slight form… but the look was still bold and Roxas liked Axel's clothes. For some reason, the sweet musk scent that could only be Axel always seemed to seep into his clothes and linger. The scent always made Roxas' heart beat just a little bit faster.

"And then, there's the idea that popularity denotes inner beauty, when really there's not a goddamn beautiful person at that frickin' hell hole of a high school." Axel finished, ranting at the ceiling as he spoke. Listening to that last comment, Roxas decided to speak.

"What about me?" His voice came small from inside the closet.

Axel turned his head to look at Roxas, not having heard clearly. "Huh?"

"I said… What about this?" Roxas lifted a cloak-like black hoody, so as to divert the attention again.

"Oh. Sure Rox, you know my stuff is your stuff." Axel breathed, turning his head to face the ceiling again. His chest heaved up and down as his respiration continued.

Glad that he'd changed the subject, but still disappointed that he'd not said what was on his mind, Roxas spoke in his soft and clear voice.

"Do you hate it that much?"

"Yeah…" Axel mumbled, dozing off a tad.

"Even… me?" Roxas asked in a near whisper. It was soft, it was fragile, and it was direct… exactly the way Roxas always sounded when something important was eating away at his mind.

Axel was dragged out of drowsiness by the inquiry. "Of course not…"

It was softer than Axel normally spoke, so Roxas knew it was the truth. "Oh."

"You and me. We're the only one's who understand…" Axel began, but didn't finish.

"Axel…" Roxas muttered, but the redhead was silently sleeping.

Roxas came out and sat next to his slumbering comrade, petting his hair while he slept, as he always did. Axel rolled over, turning so that he faced Roxas. He was just beginning to nap, and knew that Roxas was soothing him. Roxas kept petting, humming a soft tune as he continued, and wondering when he'd actually have the guts to say how much he cared for Axel. It wasn't pressing, but he needed to say it before his emotions swallowed him whole. Somehow… but right now… something was holding him back…

TBC

A/N: Ok straight forward, you're probably looking at the title and going wtf? But it will all make sense in the end I pinky promise! Also I included one of my favorite items, a theme… which in my own definition, is a little tune that inspired me and helped me push through writing this piece, so if you would like you can listen to he song while reading or whatever. But I figure the musical artists inspired me so why not give them some props too ya know?

Okay … ttyl… and don't forget to R&R!

Dillick

AKA

~Dilly~