He really loved the beach – honest, bring him with Pence, Olette, and Hayner, and he was sure to have a jolly good time. Now, the flaming red-haired, emerald-eyed demon was not Pence, Hayner, or Olette, though with his figure he could probably pull it off. He was tall and attractive, and he knew it, but what he didn't know was that he was such a pain in the ass – and Roxas was happy to let him know it at even given moment. It wasn't as if Roxas was always a downer (openly) and under that ball of angst lay nothing but Roxas. He was a good kid – just…paired with Axel, he was a ticking time bomb.

It wasn't like Axel meant it, but he didn't try very hard to avoid it.

So maybe at the particular moment, the blonde-haired boy was tired of having girls (and some boys) flocking over to Axel. Honestly, Roxas sighed, picking up a sea shell in the sand and skipping it into the ocean. Haven't they ever seen a guy without a shirt? This attention was as common as the cold, but today Roxas just wanted to be left alone, and with Axel that was impossible.

"What's eating you, Blondie?" Axel grinned – he heard them swoon before he even bothered to turn around. Roxas rolled his eyes, picking another sea shell and throwing it into the ocean. Axel wrapped his arms around the blond, whispering in his ear. "Aw, don't be mad. You'll always be the one for me." Roxas pushed him away, grumbling as the redhead let a chuckle escape his lips and rubbing the back of his ears, where Axel's lips had just been.

The salt water touched the points of his toes, cooling his body off – he stared at them, reminding himself that Axel had that affect on everyone. It wasn't just him, once – he'd done it to his cousin, Sora, and Roxas had never seen the boy flush that color red before. Of course, Kairi had attempted to beat the living shit out of Axel after that. He laughed, remembering the day, and looked up, watching the gulls fly by. Had it really been a year since…? Roxas clasped his hands behind his head, sighing thoughtfully. The beach always reminded him of Sora.

"Hey…I said HEY!" Axel yelled, getting agitated. Roxas turned around, looking at him blankly.

"What?"

"Let's play volleyball." Before Roxas retorted, Axel put his hand on his hip. "You always play with Smart Girl, Fucktard, and Fatso."

"Sure." Ignoring the fact that the redhead had just insulted three of his best friends – it was just Axel, who was full of words that he didn't mean. But it was the things he didn't say that meant the most.

And then Roxas realized why he hated sports.

It's not just that he sucked – it's that he sucked and was playing Axel, and the two put together was a deadly combination, what with his comments of "You hit like a girl," and "Oh, c'mon, Roxas – at least try!" It was the feeling of wanting to be alone and not getting the relief of it – Axel just wouldn't leave him alone, and he wouldn't shut up. It was starting to piss of Roxas.

Pence got it. Olette pitied him. Hayner just let him go.

But Axel, he didn't even comprehend that Roxas wanted to be left alone, he didn't know what day it was and why Roxas always disappeared to the beach alone. He hadn't even bothered to ask why the blonde was going alone – he'd just invited himself to make Roxas's life hell. He was doing a pretty good job of it, too.

"Jeez, Roxas. Kairi can hit better than that." And as he served it, something happened – Roxas, calm and quiet, just broke. He jumped up, and with all his force and might slammed the ball right into Axel's face. One second Axel was ready to return, the next he was eating sand. Roxas wasn't quite sure how physics allowed Axel to fall. Axel never falls – it was always Roxas. But today the tables had turned in Roxas's favor. He snickered as Axel got up, spitting the sand out of his mouth and shaking his head – Roxas began to giggle. And then laugh, laugh so hard it began to hurt. Axel stood up, shaking the rest of the sand out of his mane, and, walking over to Roxas, he smirked in satisfaction.

"About fucking time."

The blonde-haired boy didn't stop laughing when Axel rested his forehead on the boy's shoulder, nor when the redhead sighed deeply. His laughter hurt, and it made him cry – but finally it was for all the good reasons. Roxas couldn't remember the last time he'd laughed so hard, and he was thankful that Axel was such a thick-headed asshole. He got it more than Pence, Olette, or Hayner ever could. Laughter was the best medicine for grief.

-- end.

a/n; for suki who inspired the whole thing. & no I don't own kingdom hearts.