ARR fanfiction
"Axel!" a young boy's voice echoed up the stairs. "Axel, it's one in the afternoon! You really need to get up now!"
The redhead in question was closed off in his room, blinds drawn, with a pillow over his head in order to better ignore his blaring alarm.
"Axel!" Roxas called again, a hint of annoyance entering his voice when the older man didn't respond. Walking up the stairs, Roxas opened the door to a very dark room. He switched off the alarm, much to Axel's quiet relief. "Come on, Axel. You've slept all day!"
Axel mumbled something unintelligible and peeked an eye out from under the pillow, only to close it tightly again as Roxas drew back the blinds. Warm, yellow sunlight poured into the room as Roxas turned, facing the bed. Axel still hadn't gotten up, his head buried under a pillow and his blankets twisted in a tight cocoon. Roxas sighed.
"Axel, I know you promised you'd take me to the skate park today, but Reno offered to take me instead since you aren't up."
Like a magic charm, those words seemed to have a better effect than anything else did. Axel cracked open an eye, rolled over to untangle the bed sheets, and blinked in the bright afternoon sunlight. Roxas smirked, pleased that the ruse had worked.
"All right, I'm up." Axel sat up, yawning. The blanket slid off his torso, pale white skin gleaming in the sun streaming through the window. Roxas blushed a little, wishing that the redhead would wear clothes to bed like a normal person. Suddenly reaching forward, Axel successfully caught Roxas's wrist, and, before the blonde could twist out of his grip, pulled him into a close hug.
"Axel," the blonde complained. "Come on, already! I was kidding about Reno, he's at work, and I just wanted you to get up—" Axel quieted the younger boy with a soft kiss. The teenager attempted a retreat, but the older man had him in a tight grip. Axel pushed deeper, crushing the blonde's increasing annoyance.
"Fine, then," he said, once he was sure Roxas was done complaining. "I'll take you to the park…unless you want to go tomorrow, where you'll have more time to play?" He added teasingly, "We could stay here, if you like." He grinned unashamedly.
"Axel, you promised." Roxas growled, ignoring the provocation. His ocean-blue eyes shot daggers at the redhead, who chuckled.
"Alright, love. I'll get dressed while you go get your skateboard and other stuff."
"Thanks," replied Roxas, relieved. Axel kissed him on the forehead, and then allowed him to pull out of the embrace and exit the room.
"I wonder if he knows that the park is closed today," Axel wondered aloud, amused at the thought.
* * *
The whole way to the park, Axel kept up a stream of hints about how they would have more fun back at the house, even mentioning a few times that the park might be closed. And each time, Roxas would shrug off the suggestions and remind Axel of his promise. This, of course, made his reaction even funnier.
When Roxas saw the 'closed' sign on the gate leading to the park, he rounded on Axel with a rather cute frown, the beginnings of anger in his icy-blue eyes.
"Axel! You knew it was closed, didn't you? Why didn't you say something?"
Axel smiled widely, replying, "I did. Several times. But each time, you shrugged me off and wouldn't believe me." Roxas's only reply was a huff and he began to sulk. He knew Axel was right, of course, but still…
"Hey, Rox."
"Yeah…?"
"How 'bout we go get some ice cream?"
Roxas perked up a bit, still attempting to look angry. "Sure, I guess." Axel chucked again, ruffled Roxas's hair, and began backing out of the parking lot.
In an attempt to make up for the skate park, Axel treated the both of them to sea salt ice cream, sparkling blue and melting nicely in the warm afternoon. Walking around town, they finally found a grassy area to sit in, in the shade of an enormous tree. Neither of them saw or heard the person sneaking up behind them, however, until the newcomer grabbed Roxas from behind.
"Augh! Reno!" Roxas gasped, startled. "Don't do that!"
"Do what?" said Reno, smiling. Looking over at Axel, he said teasingly, "Why don't you come with me? You look pretty bored out here."
Axel looked back at the other redhead and cursed. Just when he thought he had Roxas all to himself…Roxas sighed, caught once again between the two men and their bickering.
"Can't you guys give it a rest, for once? Your bickering is giving me a headache."
"Sorry, Rox. I can't help the fact that he makes things too easy." said Reno, hugging the teenager by the waist.
"He has too many buttons to push," added Axel, grabbing Roxas by the arm and pulling him out of Reno's grip. "Besides…don't you have a job to attend, Reno?"
"I am at work. I'm on stake-out." He kept a tight hold on Roxas's other arm, trying hard not to let Axel have all the fun.
Axel snorted with derision. "Right, and I was just about to sign up for military school. Who gave you permission to take a break?"
"I did." Reno stuck his tongue out at Axel, and promptly kissed the blonde on the neck before he could dodge.
"Can't you two at least try to get along?" Roxas pleaded, attempting to retreat. The attempt failed as the two redheads pulled him back to the ground, sandwiching him between them. Roxas sighed again in exasperation.
"Hey, Rox…are you going to finish that ice cream? It's starting to melt." Reno licked his lips almost unconsciously.
"Oh…no, you can have it." Roxas gave Axel an apologetic grin, as if to say, He did ask first. I'll pay you back.
"Why don't you just get your own?" snapped Axel, irritably.
"Thank you very much!" Reno leaned over happily, ignoring Axel and grabbing Roxas's wrist. Pulling the boy's hand toward his mouth, he took a careful bite from the ice cream and swallowed, smiling. A trickle of melted ice cream ran slowly down Roxas's finger, dripping onto the hand holding it.
"Want me to get that for you?" Reno asked, glancing at Roxas, who blushed as Reno bent over and licked the trickle of melted ice cream from his finger.
"Reno…" he mumbled.
"What? You said I could have your Popsicle, right?" Roxas blushed a little deeper. Reno licked the ice cream thoughtfully, still holding onto the blonde's hand. For a while they sat in silence, Roxas watching the sun slowly sink behind the clouds, Reno licking the last bits of sugar from the stick, and Axel trying to think of a good excuse to get rid of Reno. Just as he was about to open his mouth, however, Reno's cell phone rang.
"Shit…" Reno swore as he checked the ID. "Hang on a sec…Hey, R—what are you doing with Rude's cell phone? Use your own for once!.....That's none of your—I know that!...Listen…I KNOW!! Stop interrupting me, will you? I was getting swamped, so I decided to take a break. I…what the hell, Elena?!" Axel and Roxas looked at each other. "Fine! I'm on my way!" Reno hung up, looking strained and angry. Seeing Roxas's concerned face, however, he relaxed into a tired smile.
"Sorry about that. Something came up at work, and somehow Elena found out I'm on break."
"Serves you right," said Axel, grinning in spite of himself. "Better run off now before you get in trouble."
"Axel," sighed the blonde, who was really tired of the two fighting. "Reno, I really think you should go. I don't want to see you get in trouble."
"Thanks, Roxy. I'll be fine, I think…" he looked over at Axel and hit him on the arm. "Don't start anything without me, got it?" He said warningly.
"Yeah, right," Axel muttered, rubbing his arm.
Reno bent over and hugged the blonde tightly. "See you when I get home," he whispered. Roxas opened his mouth to say goodbye, when for the second time that day, it was seized in an almost-unexpected kiss. The redhead licked the younger boy's lips eagerly, before pushing his tongue past them, searching for the blonde's own tongue. The passionate embrace lasted another minute before Reno finally broke their kiss and stood up. Roxas was blushing slightly, and both redheads began to smile as a flustered Roxas attempted to casually wave off Reno as he went back to work.
When the Turk had completely vanished from sight, Axel scooped up the teenager and hoisted him into the air.
"Axel, what are you…?"
"Relax, I'm just taking you back to the house. It's starting to get dark."
"Do you have to carry me?"
His grin was enough of a reply. Roxas allowed himself to be carried to the car, where Axel placed him in the passenger seat then walked around to the driver's side, sliding smoothly into the seat.
It looks like it will be a beautiful sunset, thought Roxas, looking out the window.
* * *
When they arrived back at the house, Axel offered to make dinner (which was unusual, as Roxas was usually the one to make dinner for both redheads). Roxas declined, because he wasn't hungry, and for the fact that Axel couldn't cook to save his life. It didn't help that as a natural pyro, had the unfortunate ability to burn even water. Instead, Roxas went up the stairs, intending to lie down on his bed, stare at the ceiling, and maybe play some video games. But before he could reach his room, Axel intercepted him and practically dragged him to the older man's bedroom, his intentions all too clear.
"Axel! You weren't going to do anything!" Roxas shouted at him.
"I never promised, though, did I?" he replied, an almost feral grin spreading on his features. Roxas reddened, furious. Pulling Roxas to the bed, he took out a key and locked the door. Roxas leapt to his feet, shouting at him to unlock the door.
"What's the matter, love? If you want to leave so badly, here." He held up the key, which, made out of bronze, caught the light and shone like dull fire. He stuck the key in his back pocket, and sat down on the bed, facing the window. Roxas scooted away from him as far as possible. Axel chuckled, and Roxas gave him the evil eye.
"Aw, come on, I'm only joking," Axel snorted, catching those glaring blue eyes. "I just wanted to watch the sunset with you." Roxas, saying nothing, crossed his arms and directed his gaze to the setting sun. Still chortling, Axel gently pulled Roxas down onto his lap, successfully catching the hand that went flying toward his head.
"Axel, I'm warning you—I'm not in the mood!"
"Humor me," the pyro whispered, his warm face centimeters from Roxas's.
"Humph…"
After a while, though, Roxas allowed himself to relax a bit as they watched the last rays of the setting sun filter in through the window. He had been right—it was a beautiful sunset.
"Sorry for being a jerk," said Axel quietly. Roxas started; it was unusual for Axel to apologize for anything, let alone for being a…well, a pervert.
"It's…okay," mumbled Roxas, unsure of whether Axel was being serious or not. Axel sighed contentedly, tightening his grip on Roxas slightly as he shifted his weight forward. Roxas, the movements gone unnoticed looked up to see Axel smiling, not like he usually did-cocky grin, with a smirk playing around the corners of his mouth-but an actual smile, a happy tilt of the head Roxas has never seen him wear before.
"You're so cute when you think I'm up to something," he said, putting a hand up to Roxas's chin to tilt it to a better angle. Roxas fidgeted, trying to get out of the redhead's grip, but the pyro had a good hold on his small captive.
"Axel…"
"Hmm?" the redhead pulled the blonde's lips into yet another kiss, fervently gripping those coral lips before sliding a warm tongue into the other boy's mouth, seeking the blonde's own reluctant tongue. He became more passionate, one hand slowly moving down to the teen's lower back, while the other began undoing the blonde's jacket. The blonde, realizing that resistance was futile, allowed himself to be swept into those gentle caresses, closing his eyes and returning the kiss with an almost equal passion.
Their kiss became more heated, Roxas's jacket removed completely and both their shirts half off, their socks and shoes scattered all along the floor. Axel rolled on top of the teenager, lifting himself slightly so as not to smother him, while Roxas finished pulling off the pyro's shirt. He took a short breath of air as Axel began kissing his way along his neck, practically ripping the teen's shirt in his haste to take it off. Roxas flushed in pleasure, clutching the redhead's hair and pulling the older man closer, murmuring his partner's name over and over. Axel, slowly but surely, began taking off the rest of their clothes, shoving them out from under the two like so much discarded trash. Pulling up a blanket, Axel lowered himself against the teen's cool body and continued their feverous embrace, teasing the small blonde by nipping his earlobe while the small boy, almost provocatively, called the redhead's name.
Through the window, the last vestiges of the dying sun gave way to a beautiful full moon, turning the room silver and darkening the outside streets.
It was a better sunset than Roxas had ever imagined.
The End