The sun shone brightly like a beacon, illuminating sparkling blue waves lapping at the warm, soft sand. Surfers floated on top of the water, making the sport look easy. Their bronze bodies attracted the gaze of sunbathers draped across the beach. The sea breeze fluttered the various flyers in front of a compact surf shack.
Axel hated his job.
Wave Breakers was perched on the edge of the boardwalk, easily overlooking the vast ocean. Axel worked five days a week to pay for his college tuition at Twilight Town University. His best friend, Demyx, had put in a good word with his boss and gotten him the job. Axel didn't much like water, but he had accepted nonetheless. So when he wasn't selling surfboards and swimwear, he stared out at the sea to alleviate his boredom.
Demyx bounded up to him, a perpetual bundle of energy.
"Beautiful day, yeah?" he grinned from ear to ear, propping his sitar up in the back corner of the shop. He often played when they were having a slow day, mixing a soft tune with the roar of the sea.
Axel nodded his agreement before Demyx's voice broke through again. "Has he been here yet?"
The redhead scowled at the mention. "No, he hasn't. I'll stick around and keep you company for your shift."
The melodious nocturne giggled. "You should 'accidentally' get ice cream at the same time as him."
Next door sold Sea Salt ice cream, a town specialty that a certain blond surf instructor often picked up after a hard day's work. The best part of Axel's day was watching the toned boy saunter in front of Wave Breakers, nonchalantly licking at the salty treat.
Axel shook his head, red tresses falling over his eyes. "I don't think so. That would be strange. Plus, what would I say to him? 'Wanna practice on me next?'" he asked incredulously.
Demyx's ice-blue eyes bore into his in all seriousness. Axel found the 'serious' note hard to take given the Mohawk-mullet on top of his head. "No, you say 'Hey, I've seen you around lately. Would you like to go on a date sometime?', then offer to pay for his ice cream."
A laugh of disbelief escaped Axel's lips. "You honestly think someone who isn't a direct asshole like you would enjoy being asked out like that?"
It was Demyx's turn to glare. "What, are you going to put a ring in a glass of Champaign and run out there to give it to him? You don't have many other options."
Now Axel had long been a firm believer that Demyx held a magical power of some sort that led to his absolute mastery of manipulation. He had both notoriously impersonal bastards- their terrifying boss, Xigbar, and their coworker, Zexion- wrapped around his finger. So when Axel found himself half an hour later standing in front of Sea Salt, awkwardly waiting the arrival of his crush, he knew he shouldn't have been surprised.
A familiar tan, toned torso crossed the boardwalk to the shops. Brilliant cobalt eyes blazed from behind golden spiked locks, and he wore black and white swim shorts. A brunette girl stood behind the counter of Sea Salt, and he called out to her. "Hey, Olette."
"Hi, Roxas," she smiled cheerfully. "The usual?"
He nodded, and in a few moments she handed him his dessert. "And anything for you?"
Olette leaned over the counter, addressing Axel. Startled out of his thoughts, he turned to her.
"Um, no thanks." He couldn't allow the blond to walk away, so he reached out to him.
"Hey, I'm Axel," he blurted.
Roxas looked at him questioningly. "Hi, Axel. Do I know you?"
"Um," Demyx's words rang in his ears. "I've seen you around. I was wondering if, um, you might like to-" he was cut off as another blond boy, about Roxas's age, dressed in a vest and camouflage pants rushed up to them.
"Oh, Hayner," Roxas turned towards him. "What are you doing here?"
Hayner looked curiously at the taller redhead, but dismissed it. "Me and Pence were going to go sunbathe and watch some of the surfers compete. We wondered if you wanted to come."
Roxas gave him an amused look. "Why would I want to do that? I spend all day out there. Ask me again when you guys want to go to the movies or something," he laughed before turning back to Axel, speaking to Hayner without looking at him. "Anyway, I think I may have plans." He couldn't conceal the grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
The taller blond shrugged and rubbed the nape of his neck. "Alright then, just thought we'd throw the offer out," he glanced awkwardly between the two. "See ya around, then." He turned back the direction he came, where a heavy boy with dark spikes of hair poking out of a sweatband waved him back over.
Roxas turned his attention back to Axel, who stood nervously combing his fingers though his bright hair unconsciously. "I'm Roxas, by the way. And thanks for not calling me out for being so forward," he laughed. "I just really didn't want to go with him. Tell you what, do you surf?"
Axel shook his head forcefully, the spikes of hair shaking like mad. "No, I've never tried. I don't go in the ocean much."
"I've seen you working next door to the ice cream place. I'll treat you to a surfing lesson. You can't sell boards when you've never tried them out for real," Roxas was smiling, and
Axel prayed to anyone who would listen that the blush he felt burning wasn't visible. If it was, Roxas wasn't making it obvious.
"That sounds cool, thanks," he replied hesitantly, but it seemed that the blond was serious. "I'm off work tomorrow."
"Great. I'll meet you at Sea Salt, say noon?"
Axel nodded, and with plans established, Roxas threw a little wave over his shoulder and walked off, checkered board shorts sauntering from view.
He could have sword that Roxas winked.
If Demyx hadn't chosen that moment to bound outside and rescue him, he could have died.