Disclaimer: Axel and Rox do not belong to me. Stop rubbing it in.
Warning: Humorous angst maybe? sure..., yaoi, Demyx...
Summary The dinky café was at least twenty minutes out of Axel's way, and he didn't have a car. But Roxas was worth it.
Pairings: not quite AkuRoku, RikuSora
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Love Rhymes With Hideous Car Wreck
How do you prove that you exist?
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Every single day Axel walks almost a mile out of his way. It's cold weather, winter to be precise, and he only has something that barely resembles a jacket. No coat.
And just enough money to get by every month.
Still, he stops by the stupid, inconvenient café on the corner of the street.
Oh, he doesn't have a car either. Nope. Axel is almost insane, labeled at least by most anyway. But does the red headed wonder care? No.
There's only one thing that matters to Axel in the world, in the whole fucking universe.And that something works at the Twilight Café. Cheesy name, yes. Bad coffee. Lame location (it's beside a McDonald's, and a Wal-Mart) indeed. But, and this butt was incredibly perky, Axel had stumbled in there one day after getting too drunk to remember where he was going, ordered some strange sounding coffee (to him at the time anyway; it was probably something lame like a coffee) and laid eyes on his future ... whatever. Everything.
The kid was probably only what, seventeen at best?
Though Axel saw past that. What's a few years compared to ever lasting looove?
Don't judge.
So now, Axel bites his lip, wincing when a gust of wind whips past him, making him shake in his dirty, ugly combat boots. Axel hates cold weather. It's on his lists of things to change when he's the ruler of the universe.
You see, Axel is one of those people that never burns in the sun. He doesn't have a tan. He's never even had a tan. His body temperature is always just a degree higher than normal. It's probably the reason he isn't crying for a sweater right now.
So he walks against the whistling air, taunting him, and grits his teeth. Only another couple minutes and he'll be opening the door to the stupid ass café just to see the most amazing boy he's ever... met.
Well okay. Axel has never really,... er, had a conversation with this kid. He's only slightly gaped at the boy's beauty, and mumbled out some words that sounded okay in his head.
Axel at least knows his name, Roxas. And he has a twin, Sora, who also works at the café.
But that's basically the extent of Axel's Roxas-Knowledge.
He hopes to remedy this little set back in his quest to make Roxas his today. His hands shake as they grab the door knob, his smile breaking through when the little bell gives away his presence.
A few people are sitting at the tables, but they don't turn around when he sways in. The Café is never really busy. That's half the reason Axel almost likes it. The other half is at the counter, looking bored and adjusting his hair absently. Axel's grin feels like it's ripping his mouth in two.
Today is the goddamn day, Axel whispers to himself, clenching already tightly closed fists.
However, the breath is knocked out of his lungs as he looks up, and those sharp, blue eyes are staring into him, right past him almost. Axel's fire cracker hair wilts a little. One foot seems larger than the other.
Oh. And Roxas is still staring at him.
Probably because Axel hasn't moved since he stepped into the building. He moves now, swift and a blush stains his cheeks a little. Axel feels like an idiot. Roxas smiles hesitantly at him.
"Hey... what can I get you?"
Axel has to think about it, because in all honesty coffee is not his favorite drink... anything alcoholic usually is. But he coughs, and shrugs. "A cappuccino. Yeah."
"Three forty, sir."
Grudgingly Axel hands over the money, shivering when his fingers barely touch Roxas's own. His body tingles all over at the sensations. Something flits through his head, but he dismisses it.
And then, Axel nearly passes out. A coin drops from Roxas's slender hands, rolling somewhere behind him. The teen groans, and bends over to look for it, oblivious to Axel's intense, questionable gaze at his ass.
Axel is a pervert, and looks away. Because if Roxas saw his face then, he would kick the hell out of him, and throw him out of the café. The redhead heaves a sigh as Roxas stands back up, victorious in his findings. He gives Axel his recipt and goes to make Axel's coffee.
Do it. Ask him out.
That's what his heart says. His brain says, ahahahahaha. You suck.
Roxas returns just when Axel punches his brain in the face, mentally of course, and hands him his cappuccino. Awesome. Axel hesitantly takes it -their fingers brush again! spark- and bites his lip.
He opens his mouth several times, unsure and though he will never admit it, a little scared. This confession could change his life, for the better… or for the worse.
"So this sounds completely stupid and all that crap. But I gotta try, okay? Like, I think you're my future. Period. No question. And I think you should give me a chance. Why? Why? Must you ask. Thought so. Well, anyway we should go out. There, I said it."
It's like word vomit that came out. But Axel smiles sharply, eying Roxas.
Nothing like insecure slash crazy cocky love confessions. Eh. Also, hey Axel, says Axel's brain.
What says Axel in a most awesome manner.
What if this five feet five inch absolute love machine isn't into guys?
Ahahaahahah says Axel.
The mental conversation stops abruptly when there is movement from the Roxas.
Roxas takes a moment to get around what Axel has spewed at him, and wrinkles his nose.
"I was wondering why you come here every day. I had a bet with Sora that you liked him, and he thought you liked me. Damn. Now I owe him thirty munny." Roxas scratches his head lightly, a sigh escaping from those perfect lips.
Axel just stands there, a little confused. "Is that a yes, Axel you are a sexy, of course. Or is that a fuck, you're so freaking weird that I wouldn't go out with you if you were a woman?"
Roxas's 'stone faceness' is starting to get on Axel's last nerve with its adorableness. But then, a crack of a giggle comes from the boy. Axel shudders, licking his lips.
"It's a... combination of both, except not really. I don't know. You... er. It's a little weird to go out with strangers. You could be a pedophile." Roxas nods his head a little, as if to back himself up.
Axel leans against the counter heavily, giving the boy a sly, hopefully sexy smile. "No, I'm a Roxasphile."
That was supposed to sound smoother.
"That's even creepier considering you don't know me."
Touché.
Shrugging, Axel sips his coffee dejectedly. He wants a yesdammit. That's all Roxas needs to utter for Axel to jump his thin little bones. Something catches Axel's narrowed eye during the overly awkward silence, and he looks up just as Sora walks in from the back, smiling that dorky smile that Axel has never not seen him have on plastered on his face.
A blush is spreading on Roxas's high cheekbones, and it gets even redder when Sora lays a hand on his shoulder, almost scrutinizing Axel.
"Hey... you're that weird guy... who comes here every day. Jeez, I've always wondered how you afford this. But wow, you can talk!"
Axel squeaks indigently. It's a manly squeak, of course. "What the hell d'you mean by that, you little punk!"
Sora shrugs, grinning. Roxas seems to shrink himself into the background. "You always just kinda... mumble. Which, I may add, is not talking." Sora sticks his tongue out, and Axel has a notion to grab it with his teeth... just, you know, for fun. And to see if he'd actually get punched in the face. Sora doesn't seem like the type.
Before Axel has time to remark properly, the door jingles obnoxiously, and he turns his head.
Silver. That's all he can describe at first. It sorta happens in slow motion.
The boy who walks in is incredibly tall, though not as tall as he is. His platinum hair reaches down his back in soft looking tendrils, swaying with his hips, and his eyes are nearly Axel's shade, a lovely sharp jade. The kid's face is absolutely perfect. Axel has never seen anything, er, anyone looks so... complete.
The boy spots something behind him, and smirks.
"Riku!" Two voices shout at once, and Roxas and Sora are over the counter and hugging this silver haired... model? God?
Hey.
Axel sulks.
Pfft he is soo much more cooler slash better looking. Totally. And Roxas hasn't answered him yet. Dammit! He cautiously glares at this 'Riku'. Riku glares back.
Fuck. The bastard's glare is even pretty.
He must be a model.
"How's modeling been Riku?" Sora asks in a strangely detached voice.
Axel hit the nail on the hammer there.
Woo.
Riku shrugs, pulling away from Roxas to begin hugging Sora, except this hug is different, almost romantic. Axel thinks he can see Riku... smelling Sora's hair. Pfft, and you call him creepy!?
Apparently Riku suddenly remembers he has been asked a question, and pulls away, smiling at Sora from an arms width. Before the boy can open his mouth, Axel coughs up a lung, and saunters over to interrupt such a heart felt session. His eyes pin Roxas's, who has shrunken away from the other two again.
"Will. You. Go. Out. With. Me? ...Roxas," Axel finishes lamely. The entire café is staring at him. Sadly? Yes. Mostly.
Some people start to clap.
Roxas simply glares, and tugs on his hand, leading them outside into the chill. Axel wants to speak up, but his voice is lodged in his throat. Isn't Roxas on shift? What - ever. Roxas's hand is soft, and warm, and everything Axel knew it would be. Was that lightning? Oh God.
Axel's eyes fog over, and fragments of some... something pop up behind his eyelids. A beach, black coats, Roxas's sad smile. A last kiss.
He gasps and stops, right there on the side walk. His lungs feel like they're about to collapse. Distantly, he can see Roxas frantically trying to help him. More burning memories that have neverhappened before encase him, in a world where he and Roxas were together but not because he didn't have a heart but he can feel the... the emotion they shared.
Axel can feel.
Everything.
For some reason this seems important.
Another scene comes into his mind, quiet. Roxas is holding himself in a corner. He's shaking. He looks so miserable. Vision Axel stares, his fist clenching, and his body moves over and swoops down, taking Roxas in his arms. Their voices are silent, but Axel can feel their emotion, can feel all the pain that is going on.
Like a black and white movie.
Axel cries out, shaking his head. It hurts. His knees buckle and he falls, burning hot tears slipping down his cheeks like rain from the sky. It fucking burns. He wants to rip his eyes out, what is this terrible feeling of emptiness!
"Axel," Two Roxas's say, and he is so confused, and feels so lost.
So lonely.
There's a Roxas in front of him, worried and yelling, but he can't hear him. He can barely see him with all these memories running through his mind. Memories of a past life.
Another one stands out. Again there is no sound, nothing. Just Axel and Roxas, and Axel is holding the blond down, screaming, punching, fire is steaming from his back. His hands are placed painfully on Roxas's trembling shoulders. The boy is taking his abuse with just a frown, and tears slowly seep from his eyes.
All of a sudden Roxas lurches forward and kisses Axel, carefully, tenderly. Axel stops, and slumps. All the rage and pain is erased from his face, just hurt remains. Axel gets up, and storms off. Roxas lays there, with closed eyes, saying something to the ceiling.
Reality comes crashing back, hurtlig Axel to the present.
Like a bad dream, the memories stop. Axel can finally understand Roxas's words.
"Axel, AXEL WHAT'S WRONG, PLEASE! Axel?"
Roxas is nose to nose with him now. Axel leans up a little, giving him a shaky, false grin.
"Roxas," he murmurs. Those red lips are chapped slightly, but they curve in a crooked smile. "Roxas," he tries again, and he remembers. He remembers everything.
He could open his mouth and spill all of these little secrets, and then Roxas would look at him like he was bat shit insane, and never talk to him again.
Or, Axel could make new ones. New memories.
"Are... are you okay now? Axel? D'you have those often?"
Axel shakes his head, heaving out a sigh. "Nah, guess it's... just around you." You, you, you. It's always been you.
Unconsciously, his arm slowly wraps around Roxas's shoulders, their hips almost touching. Roxas doesn't try to worm away. Axel looks down at the boy, and his heart beats a little faster, and he feels himself start to hypervinillate because hellothis is Roxas and he remembers. Not everything, not entirely, but he can feel the ridiculous amount of love he had and has for this ethereal being.
Oh, and..
Heart.
He has a heart.
It's so strange nowthat these memories resurface, though it makes Axel both happy, and sad. Every single detail he knows about Roxas's body, right down to the freckles dusting across his cheeks. He knows this kid inside and out, but he can't do a damn thing.
"So Roxas, my question." His voice is shakey at best, small and insecure. "Go out with me, eh?" It hangs in the air like an awkward silence.
A frown immediately plants its evil self on those cherry pink lips, and the arm Axel has around Roxas's shoulders is removed. Roxas steps back, hands digging in his pockets.
"Well, you seem like a interesting person and all... though, er. I'll just tell you." Roxas eyes him warily, like Axel's going to throw out a knife and stab him in the throat. This is probably not a sign of love and acceptance. " I'm only sixteen, okay. I don't want some guy stalking me or anything weird like that. I just want normal. It sounds stupid, but you're obviously not normal. Please, just... maybe we can become friends... 'cause I can't see us together. "
Axel's heart disintegrates into ash.
Roxas just said no. Technically not directly. But Axel gets the message. Friends, sure. Sure.
This is not happening.
"Roxas," Axel croaks, and reaches out. Roxas looks uneasy and backs away. He's… fuck, he's afraid of Axel, and the thought makes him nearly retch.
Clenching his eyes shut, Axel takes a long, deep breath, only succeeding in creeping out Roxas further. Tears gather, but they don't fall. He will not cry, he is not the whiny bitch from his childhood.
"I don't wanna be alone anymore," Axel whispers, brokenly. Shouldn't he try and win Roxas, shouldn't he do something? He has nothing. His entire frame quakes. Oh God.
"I'm sorry."
Roxas shrugs, and smiles oddly before turning around and going back inside the café.
Axel does not follow.
He stands there, watching Sora and Riku laugh, watching people drink bad coffee and go on with their lives. It does not rain, it does not snow. Nothing happens. Time moves by, slowly and he is forever without Roxas. In life, in death.
This is not the way the story ends.
"...I DON'T WANNA BE ALONE ANYMORE!"
I don't want to be without you again.
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End.