Hey everyone! Now I know what you're going to say…"WHERES OTHER CHAPTERS?" And I know I know I haven't been updating that much lately…at all…BUT to get re-inspired for writing I'm doing a collaboration with my good buddy Kayla! When I'm done I can promise more writing from me, and better writing! I hope you guys like this story too, I know I do! xD Also, her username is xXxSexyZexyxXx, you should check her out! In this story she will be writing the chapters that are in Axel's P.O.V. and I shall be doing Roxas.
One last little tidbit! I'm going to be updating my profile a lot more, sending out approximate release dates and even previews! Not the annoying 2 sentence kind, the long kind! So be sure to check in…might be easier if you follow me but you can do whichever ^^ okay! Now to begin hope you enjoy. Remember to review and tell us what parts you like and don't like!
Chapter One: Curiosity Killed The Cat, Y'Know
Curiosity in the dictionary is described as the desire to learn or know anything. I guess that's a fitting way to describe me. As a boy, I was always nosey and I always had the drive to understand. This is actually pertinent to the story, I promise. It started when I was old enough to actually think for myself. My parents were social butterflies; they still are. They made up reasons to throw house parties once a month, and no matter the reason, their friends would always show up. Curiosity kicked in on those nights. I was always interested in the drinks they drank. My mother would grab ice, and fruits, and strange liquids, and mixed them to create something completely different. Interest peaked for me, and I remember thinking how amazing it was that she could use all this stuff to make something else. Soon, I got old enough to think of this drink-mixing as an art. That might seem stupid to you, and I don't blame you. I truly don't understand myself. The parties began to grow less frequent, but that didn't matter to me. I got old enough to look into things myself, and by the time I was 13 I had it down to an art. In the comfort of nighttime by myself, I would go into my parents' secret cabinet and grab their recipes. I stayed up until 2 AM some nights and mixed the drinks until they were my beautiful pieces of art. I never drank them; well, once I did, but I realized quickly that they weren't made for my consumption. The drinks just stayed on the kitchen counter glistening dangerously. They stayed twinkling, holding my gaze for drawn out minutes before I threw them away. When I was 17, I told my parents about my curious adventures. They laughed, said they knew, and I became the official mixer for their parties since that moment.
Why is this important?
Well, I figured I'd tell you why I'm so grateful for my childhood. I had parents who loved me and helped me achieve my silly art-inclined dream. I'm now 21, working in a quaint little club called Oblivion, and I'm also the best bartender Twilight Grove has ever seen. Not to sound conceited, but it's true. But I also guess this is why they say "curiosity killed the cat." This job sucks, honesty. I work all night every night, leaving no time to party myself. It pays well, at least: 15 buckaroos an hour. That beats everywhere else I looked, and it's better than what most people get these days, I guess. But I'm realizing that my dreams have killed any chance at romance, or friends, or just fun in general. However, I think this is what I was meant to do, you know? I guess this is where Fate kicks in. You'll see what I mean soon enough.
"Axel, baby! How have you been? I haven't seen ya around town in ages!" I groaned at the high-pitched voice that was belting in my face.
"Yuffie, I'm working, like always." She scoffed before sitting at the bar.
The music was blaring, but that never stopped Yuffie. She was my loud-mouthed friend from back in Hollow Bastion. Never heard of Hallow Bastion? Most people never have; it's a tiny little dump. It used to be the highest esteemed town for people several states near us, but since WWII it hasn't ever been the same. The people there are great there, though. Yuffie I met in high school. She was this beautiful little thing with short black hair and huge blue eyes. If I was straight, I definitely would have tried to be with her. But, I sound out soon enough that she was boisterous and angry and too peppy for me, so I never pursued her—that and I realized I loved the D more than poontang.
"Axel," she drawled on, "I miss you! Don't you have any days off?" I sighed. I wish I had days off.
"No, Yuf, I really don't. I need money to pay my bills. To get money, I need a job. So, here I am. You can see me any time you want here."
She groaned and asked for a martini. I quickly mixed her one and added a pink umbrella, just how she wanted it. It's funny what you learn about people through their alcohol. See, most people drink stuff based on their personality. For example, Yuffie likes martinis because they're packaged all cutesy and go down fiery with a kick. That was Yuffie down to a T. She wanted the umbrella, a pink one specifically, because even though she could be very brute and tomboyish, she was still feminine and wanted that to be known about her.
She gulped down the martini with admirable speed and looked me dead in the eye.
"Look, Axel, I understand you love your life, and your job. But we miss you! Cloud, and Reno, and Tifa, and Light, and even Rude miss you! You need at least one day off, alright? Sooner or later you'll regret not seeing us more often." Musing over this, I nodded and agreed with her. Strangely enough, I missed them all, too. I even missed Reno, and that was saying something. Reno was my older brother by one year, and he doted on me all the time; however, that doting somehow led to fighting which led to more doting and fighting. He was a sarcastic asshole, much like myself, and we somehow got along with getting along. Is that strange? I think so. Reno was the best brother ever, and yet he was a huge pain in the ass. That's how it has been forever and how it always will be, I think.
I laughed, "It's funny. I actually miss Reno." She guffawed as well, her voice lowering in pitch, a clear sign she was tipsy.
"Oh, Axel, isn't that a sign? You even miss your loud mouthed bro!"
Thinking, I pulled off my rag and set to work on the glass she'd just drank from. Her huge blue eyes stared at me, waiting for an answer. The glass I'd been cleaning gleamed at me, almost encouraging me. Sighing I looked to her and set down the martini glass.
"Ok, Yuffie. I'll talk to Ansem tonight, ok?" She squealed the most high-pitched scream that I've ever heard in my life and almost literally threw herself over the bar at me, gripping my neck tightly.
"YAY! Ohmygod, Ax, I love you! I'll tell the crew, alright? Let me know!" And with that, she bounded out of Oblivion into the dark cold night. Speech left me and replaced itself with confused laughter.
That's when I saw him. A short, well-built blonde boy waltzed into the bar, his arm locked with the grasp of a short raven-haired girl. They were both beautiful, but he seriously took my breath away. I noted his pale skin red from the winter breeze and his eyes huge and cerulean. That moment was when newfound curiosity peaked inside me, and I knew I had the need to figure him out. I needed to know his name, his age, his likes and dislikes. All I needed was for him to step this way. This is where Fate surely kicked in. The mysterious godlike boy waltzed over to my little bar and sat down on the leather barstool directly in front of me. He looked up to me with tired eyes, and my heart stopped dead in its tracks.
"I need some Jack, on the rocks, please." He put his head in his hand and boredly looked out to the crowd that was bouncing to the beat of some Skrillex or something. I waited for him to look my way and smirked down at him.
"Sorry, I can't serve hardcore liquor to prepubescent boys, you know. How'd you even get in here?"
That cute little face turned red and bunched up in anger, and I laughed out loud at him.
"Hey! I'll have you know I'll be 19 in a few months!" I smirked.
"So in the meantime you thought you could hustle me for some alcohol? Real smooth, kid." He turned red again, this time in embarrassment. Looking away, he muttered something too low for me to hear.
"What was that, shorty? Didn't quite hear ya—" he cut me off abruptly.
"I said screw you!" Blinking a few times, I processed this new information. Putting on a smile, I grabbed a glass and filled it with ice water.
"Listen," I spoke, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. The name's Axel, A-X-E-L. Got it memorized?"
He looked me in the face and scowled, nodding.
"I'm Roxas," he said. Then he shot me his own devilish smirk. He taunted me, "R-O-X-A-S. Got that memorized?" I laughed. So he was mocking me, hm? Cute, real fucking cute.
"Alrighty, Roxy, here's some water. Now, what's eating you up? You can tell me." Eyeing me quizzically, he ignored my banter and gulped down some water.
"That's what strangers mostly do, you know. They bond with the 'tender, tell him everything that sucks about their life. You can do the same, you know. I won't judge you. In fact, I really wanna know. Nothing exciting ever happens to me lately."
He sighed, putting down the glass. It clinked against the smooth tabletop and distracted me momentarily. I felt as if I'd need some alcohol myself for this story of his. But God did I want to know.
"Well," he started, pulling me away from my thoughts, "I got robbed this morning. All my money that I saved for school and books and things is gone along with my TV and my laptop. That… That had all my work in it. Fucking asshats—I hope they get caught and rot in prison."
Nodding, I urged him to go further. "Well that sucks, dude. But that can't be it, now can it?"
He knit those eyebrows of his together and took another drink before continuing.
"Right," he muttered, "it never is enough for just one bad thing to happen to me. My girlfriend of 4 months dumped me yesterday, too."
I sucked in air through my teeth. "Ouch, Roxy. Why'd she dump you?"
Slapping a hand to his forehead, he said "She thought I was too emotional."
I looked at him sadly, wondering to myself if this was true. Then, I thought, so what? Even if it was, isn't that a good thing? I swear, girls really need to get it together. Do they want a rock or a boyfriend? Christ…
"Dude, that fucking sucks ass." He nodded, not wanting to go further.
"I mean," I corrected, "Not that she dumped you. She sounds like a bitch." Note to self, never insult a man who has had the shittiest day of his life.
"You asshole!" He yelled at me, his face beet red.
"I loved her, you dick! Don't call her a bitch!" I sighed, knowing I'd now have to explain.
"Well, I'm only stating the obvious." He was about to yell some more before I put a hand on his mouth, shutting him up.
"Listen," I ordered. He nodded and sat back , I never knew he stood up in the first place.
"Here's some advice: never date someone who can't accept you for you. Got it? If she can't handle you because you actually have a heart, then she doesn't deserve you, and you don't need her. Women these days are so dumb. If they want to date a man who isn't affectionate and shows his fucking moods, they are better off dating a rock. That's why I like guys; they know what they want, unlike girls."
Blue eyes grew large in both shock and understanding, a strange combination. I laughed, just like I always do when people realize I like penis over that nasty disgusting… I don't even want to say the name of that other sex organ. Ew.
"You—You're—Uhm." Stuttering, really, that's all he had in him to do?
My breath came out slow and exasperated. "Yes, dumbass, I like men. I said I wouldn't judge you, so don't judge me, alright?" A nod, a gulp, and a sip of water were my reply. I shook my head, refilling his glass slowly before tending to another guy.
"So, uhm, Axel," he said, "Thank you for listening. And also, thanks for the advice. Surprisingly, it made me feel a lot better." His smile graced me and I felt very hot all of the sudden. I grabbed a napkin from beside his glass and quickly scrawled my name and number atop it. Sliding it over to him, I got ready to close up shop.
"Listen, Roxas, I like you." He turned red. "Not like that, you pervert. If ya wanna get with me, ya need to take me on a date first—like a true gentleman." He started fussing at me and went on to say he liked girls, but I tuned him out and cut him off.
"Here's my number. Text me, call me, whatever; I can talk to you about anything, alright? We could be best buds before you know it." I set up the glasses behind the bar as the people dancing quickly filed out. He only took the napkin and raised a brow at me.
"And where are you going right now?" I wiped off the counter.
"We're closed, dork." He looked around before finding out that yes, we were indeed closing for the night. Looking down at his watch, his eyes bulged in his head.
"I had no idea I talked to you for so long," he muttered. Finally the music was off so we could stop yelling to each other.
"Yeah," I said smiling, "time goes by quick when you're having fun!" He playfully scowled and hoped off his chair.
"Well," he started, "thanks, man. I'll definitely text you later, ok? Until then, ciao." And he left with that. My heart fluttered, and I quickly turned around in embarrassment and happiness. This kid would text me! Praise Jesus and Buddha and Zeus and whoever else was up there!
I went to the back to see Ansem, my boss, about a day off this week. I'd known Ansem since before I worked here; he was my dad's friend from way back, and I sort of grew up with the man. He was almost like my second dad, and I was humbled when he offered me this job.
Asking off was hardly a task at all, and he granted me Friday off. I was grateful, since today was Wednesday and it was short notice, and for the first time in a while I felt extremely satisfied with life. I looked forward to Reno and Yuffie and especially Roxas. Life was finally moving forward, and I took the chance to move with it.
Tip Number One: Be with someone who can love you for you. Otherwise, it isn't worth your time.