Before the Aftwerwards, a kingdom hearts fanfic

Before The Afterwards

A KH Fanfic

Authoress: Illicit Memory

(AU – Present Time Fic.)

(Warnings: Violence, Language, Sexual Content.)

(Some Yaoi/Yuri)

Summary:

Disaster is really spelled 'L-O-V-E'.

Lime oculars glinted in the waning sunlight – a moment before mirrored sunglasses were lowered over them. Erratically spiked red locks moved slightly in the summer ocean breeze, just as the black shirt and pants did. He took great pride in his appearance – the pale skin, and flawless features that had landed him many a torrid night with various women.

"Axel… You have that stupid look on your face again." A feminine voice spoke next to him.

His eyes traveled to the left, and slightly down – meeting the purple hues of the female next to him. "Who asked you?"

"Hmph." She smirked. White-blonde hair was short and spiked, but it didn't make her look boyish at all. Her body was slender, and tan, hidden beneath baggy clothing: a grey wife beater and camo cargo pants. Bare feet dug into the sand they stood on, black sneakers discarded on the wooden steps that led out to the beach.

"Thatwas a valid question, Iz." The red-head's lips quirked into a smile.

"You're a horrible person." Chuckling, she turned and moved towards the stairs – pausing after a few steps. "If we're still picking him up, we've got to go now."

"… Riku can drive himself there." Even as this statement was said, Axel turned and followed her – fishing in his pocket for his keys.

"That would make sense… If he had a car." Riku's truck had been totaled the week before. Her voice carried over her shoulder as she bent over – picking up her shoes.

Moving quickly, he came up behind her, pressing his lower body against the back of her's, making her squeak quietly and straighten.

"You know, forget him… We could always just go back to the car and fuck."

His breath was hot against her ear – sending shivers down her spine.

"You know… I'm pretty sure your girlfriend wouldn't appreciate that." She ignored his hand slipping down her side – eventually resting on her inner right thigh.

"Which one?" He lightly nibbled on her neck – until she pulled away. "Hey." His voice sounded mildly disappointed.

"You're a very, very bad man." Her eyes narrowed playfully, but her voice was husky. Her hands were tight on her shoes – she focused all her energy there so she could ignore the warmth pooling in her stomach. Forcing herself every step of the way, she continued up the stairs – ghost pressures touching her every point he had.

"Aren't I, though?" He grinned and followed her, spinning his keys around his finger. As she moved, he caught up with her – placing his right hand in her right back pocket. They continued to his vehicle like this – with only the most cursory of glances from her.

"I'll sit in the back." She offered rather quickly – almost the moment they reached the low-riding, sleek black vehicle.

"Oh, no you don't." He hit the lock button on his keys. The car beeped – and she flicked him off from the passenger side.

"Come on, Ax. He's gonna get all pissy if you're all over me right in front of him."

"Chicks before dicks." The boy shrugged.

"That only applies to girls." She gave him a blank look.

"You're saying you're not a girl?" His lips quirked into another smile.

"…You are impossible." She sighed heavily. "Unlock the fucking car."

"… Sit in the front seat." He was more than willing to stand here all day, she could tell.

"Ugh, fine!" When the car clicked open, she yanked open the door, tossing her shoes down on the floor. Then, she threw herself into the seat – jerking the seatbelt across her body and into its correct position, and slamming the door shut. The she crossed her arms over her chest, staring out the window next to her.

"Oh, you're so melodramatic." Mirth still laced his voice as he sat in the driver's seat – pulling his seatbelt on and shutting his door. He sat for a moment, staring out the windshield before he spoke again. "You really mad at me?"

"…Of course not." She smiled and warmed up, laughing.

"Good." With a nod – not another word said – he started the car, backed out, and hit the roads.

Riku's tall frame leaned against the front wall of his home – emerald eyes half-lidded, staring at the street before him. A tight-fitting black tank was half-hidden under a yellow sleeveless jacket. His baggy blue jeans fell slightly below his waist, revealing a small stretch of tanned midriff and grey boxers.

Suddenly, there was a screech of tires, the subtle roar of a high-caliber engine, and Axel's car stopped at the foot of Riku's driveway is a cloud of street dust. The passenger side window rolled down, and Iz's head popped out. "Come on!"

A slow grin spread across the silver-haired young man's face, and he loped forward, reaching the car quickly. He opened the back passenger side and entered – shutting the door as he reached to pull down his seatbelt.

"Hey." Riku greeted his friends from the back seat – as they peeled out and took to the road once again.

"You ready to party?" Iz smiled, turning halfway in her seat to face the other passenger.

"Of course."

Izarei. They'd known her forever, hadn't they?

She'd moved in when they were six.

She'd been the quiet, reclusive girl… the one who was involved in sports – boy things. She'd been interesting. It had been Sora who first approached her – by that point, they were about ten – and had asked her to hang out with them, to join the 'group'.

Axel, Sora, Roxas, Riku, Demyx, Saix, Zexion, Xigbar, Luxord, Vexen, Xaldin, Lexaeus, and now… Izarei.

Axel and her were next-door neighbors, and thus able to see each other more often. Their friendship was tight long before she allowed herself to relax around any of the others. Soon, she was one of the guys.

But even amongst the best of friends…

Axel shifted gears for the last time, bringing the stick to rest in fifth. Then, flashing a sadistic smile back at Riku, he moved his hand right – resting it on Iz's left thigh.

A warning glance was shot at him by the blond – but he ignored it.

"Axel…"

"Yes?"

"…" Her eye twitched as she glared over at him.

Nonchalantly, he gazed over at her for a moment with a smile, and then he returned his eyes to the road – not moving his hand an inch.

In the back seat, Riku crossed his arms – burning holes in the back of Axel's head with his eyes.

After a few minutes, Izarei moved her body away from Axel, all but turning completely in her seat to face the window.

With a small pout, Axel's hand returned to the stick – where it stayed, even after she returned to her original position.

"Hey, Riku – how much munny do you have?" Iz grabbed the rearview mirror, turning it so that she could see the silver-haired teen in the back.

"Enough to get in. Maybe a bit left over for a drink." His eyes met hers, and she saw the resentment in them. Axel had already pissed him off.

"I… don't think it's going to work out. You're my friend, Riku: it's too weird." She had smiled so faintly, it killed him.

"It's for Axel, isn't it? You're always with him – you're still fucking him, aren't you?" Hearing the accusing tone in his voice, mixed in with the sudden flash of white-hot jealousy: she almost punched him.

"Is that really what you think…?" Fighting down the anger, she merely replied to him in a monotonous, quietly demeaning voice.

"I don't want to, but… you guys…" He was losing steam – the initial shock was gone, and he was just now seeing that she didn't want to do this, she didn't.

"I'm not leaving you for anyone, it's just… Complicated. It's hard to explain, but – you're one of my friends. Like, I couldn't date any of the other guys, either."

"…But, Ax-"

"…It's complicated."

"Neat-o. Feeling nice enough to toss me a few bucks for some cigarettes?"

"No pro-"

"Just smoke some of mine." Axel cut into Riku's reply – motioning with his shifting hand towards the glove compartment.

Eyes lighting up, Iz removed her gaze from the mirror (which was promptly returned to its original position by the driver) and popped open the door in front of her. Reaching in, she pulled out a pack of cigarettes, and packed it quickly before tearing it open and pulling one out.

Then she gazed expectantly at Axel, the recently freed cigarette dangling from her lips.

"… What?" The redhead smirked over at her.

"…" Her eyes narrowed playfully.

"Oh! You want me to light it, too?"

"…" A no-shit look was thrown from her eyes.

"Got it, got it." His right hand rose to her cigarette, and in his palm, a small fireball formed.

She inhaled – sticking the tip of the small white stick into the flames – and then pulled back, turning again to the window. Rolling down the glass slightly, she exhaled – letting the smoke exit the car by the vacuum created.

Then they realized that there was probably a reason Sora had found her.

Sora, with his affinity for lock picking – any key he held fit into any lock before him.

Roxas –Invisibility.

Riku – The ability to control darkness.

Demyx – Water manipulation.

Saix – The moon gave him feral powers.

Zexion – Any book he held: he could make come to life.

Xigbar – Instant transportation abilities.

Luxord - In his hands, cards were deadly.

Vexen - Control over ice.

Lexaeus - Earth manipulation.

Xaldin - Air manipulation.

Axel – Control and creation of fire.

They were each special – so, how was she?

Axel, of course, had been the first to find out her secret.

In the backseat, Riku glared through the entirety of the display between Axel and Izarei. When she finally began smoking, he settled back into his seat, eyes narrowed violently – angled to gaze out the window.

"You want one, too?" She turned completely in her seat - unlocking her seatbelt in the movement.

"…"

"Riku?"

"Huh?" He snapped out of his reverie – looking at her in surprise.

"You want a cigarette?" She held the pack enticingly in front of him.

"I quit – you know that."

"What's that line?... Uh – 'I said no to drugs, but they wouldn't listen?'" She grinned, sliding a stick from the pack. Taking another long drag on her own cigarette – she pulled it from her mouth – putting it into Riku's before he could protest.

Then she grabbed Axel's hand – flipping it palm side up meaningfully. After a moment, a small ball of flame appeared – lighting her new cigarette.

"Thanks, Ax."

He had thought she was dead. There had been a fight: a couple of the older kids, Seifer's gang, had attacked them. It had only been Iz and Axel : so against Seifer, Fuu, and Rai – they were outnumbered. Axel had taken on Fuu and Rai – Seifer had gone for Iz first.

They had been doing fine (the training exercises with the guys had done her a world of good) when the opposition decided to begin playing dirty. Seifer pulled out a gun, aiming it at Iz, while Axel was held back by the suddenly-overpowering team he was facing.

She stood defiantly about five feet from Seifer – eyes daring to him shoot her. Axel's heart was skipping beats, and even then, it felt like a hummingbird had been let loose in his ribcage.

"Fuck you, Seifer. Don't know how to even decently fight." She had smiled, an evil, sadistic smile she normally got only with Axel, only when they were alone together, and she was in control. The smile he loved suddenly was killing him.

"Iz – no!"

Seifer pulled the trigger.

The resounding CRACK was the only thing Axel knew. All he saw black – he squeezed his eyes shut, yelling her name.

Then everything went silent.

After a few moments, he chanced it – he opened his eyes to see Izarei still standing, Seifer as well. Fuu and Rai's grip on Axel slackened considerably, but he made no move to retreat. Instead, he stared – as the other three of them did – at the bullet, suspended in the air halfway to Iz.

Her eyes had taken on a translucent silver shade – glowing. Her hand was stretched towards the deadly point aimed at her – as if she were tentatively reaching out to caress it. Then he hand dropped, and with it – the bullet. Her eyes suddenly normal, she smiled innocently, walking the two steps forward to crouch next to the small piece of metal – picking it up. Then she righted herself, and approached Seifer: who tensed suddenly, as if snapping out of a reverie.

"You know – you seem far too happy to waste these. Things like that cost money, didn't you know?" She handed him the projectile he had tried to kill her with, and then she simply turned and walked away.

Seifer began to shake, watching her go

All four of them had the feeling he could have died moments before..

"We're here." Axel parked the car in front of a large home.

Three stories of dark brick loomed over them, the soft glow of lights coming from the second floor. The front lawn was enormous – and well-tended.

"Sometimes I wonder why they invite us here. To make us feel inferior?"Izarei's eyes were half-lidded in a bored fashion.

"No, they invite us here because…" Axel exited the car, shutting his door and waiting for the rest of them to do so. Then he locked it, leaning against it – crossing his arms. "Because…" He sighed. "Yeah, pretty much."

She chuckled. "Knew it. Even you can't come up with a reason."

"The rest of the gang's here already." His half-smoked cigarette loosely held in the corner of his mouth, Riku lazily motioned towards a group of people heading towards them.

"Yo, Ax! You made it!" Roxas ran up to his best friend, tapping knuckles with him. "Iz, Riku." The blonde nodded towards the other two.

"Hey Rox." Izarei smiled at him, before her eyes traveled to the rest of them. "Zex – you left the Necronomicon at my house."

"Figured." The blue-haired young man smiled wryly at her. "It's a wonder I didn't leave my mind there – the way Axel kicked me out of there so quickly." This was said in a teasing manner as Zexion looked at the redhead, who stuck his tongue out at him.

Riku flinched – turning away from the group and walking towards the house, where, as they got closer, music could be heard.

Sora jogged to catch up with him. "Riku? What's up?"

The silver-haired teen scoffed, taking a final drag on his cigarette before flicking it into the grass. "Nothing."

"Bull." Sora eyed the small ember of the cherry, and then ignored it, continuing to follow his friend. "… I thought you stopped smoking?"

"'I said no to drugs, but they didn't listen.'" His tone was mocking.

"Iz says that a lot."

"I know." He paused. "…I love her, Sora."

"… I know."

"She doesn't give a shit about me at all, does she?"

"That's not true!" The brunette looked back at her. At the moment, she was picking up expensive vases, and placing them precariously in trees, with her telekinesis.

"Then why did she dump me?"

"You guys are friends – I guess she can't see you as more?"

"…But I love her."

"…I know."

Love is really spelled H-E-L-L.

A/N: This was just a random thought that came to my head. I'm not even sure if I should continue it, but… I don't know?

Reviews would be nice. Flame me if you want.

She's not a Mary-Sue: I'm sorry, I tried to hard for her not to be one. If you think she is, get your eyes checked. She doesn't have super-amazing powers any better than the rest of them, and they're not all in love with her.

Yes, Axel and she are lovers – not 'in love'. If you think that's wrong, good for you.

And yes, Riku is in love with her.

That would be two, NOT ALL OF THEM.

Mmkaythanks?

'view.

Please? And sorry for the rant, it's just that I know a few people who will automatically say "Riku and Axel are already attracted to her, the story just started, she's telekinetic, she's a Mary-Sue because she's an OC."

…

To the rest of you, those who generally like it – thanks. :)