So, this is my tribute for Akuroku day. -cheers-. I will never forget my first yaoi pairing. I love my spice and sugar pairing very much. However, it's been so long since I written any good Akuroku fanfics. And to make matters even harder, it's gonna be the candy-rotten fluffy kind, the ones that I save in reserve for Soriku fanfics. Writing fluffy just isn't my style but this idea keeps on bugging so what the hell? Meh, I'm gonna see how this goes. Wish me luck.
Disclaimer: I don't own KH.
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8/13
"Hey, sweetheart, you've been here for some time."
The twenty-one-year-old swiveled his head from his drink to see Tifa throwing a friendly smile from behind the counter while wiping a bar glass. The blond gave the busty bartender a sheepish and crooked smile.
"I-I'm just waiting for," his face turned slightly red. "my boyfriend. We're celebrating our five-year anniversary here. My boyfriend has got a weakness for the Seventh Heaven's drinks." He looked up towards the ceiling as the bartender chuckled knowingly.
The bartender looked surprised while being pleased and flattered. "Wow, you two must be quite devoted to each other. You'd think he would have proposed to you by now. What's his name?"
"Axel."
Tifa brightened up at his name in familiarity. Setting the glass down on a shelf, she leaned on the counter, now interested. "The one with the fiery looking hair?" The customer nodded. The black-haired woman smiled to herself and crossed her arms. "Ah, he's a charming one. I know him personally and you must be Roxy, 'that cute and sexy blond he managed to snag' that he keeps on talking about." The bartender air-quoted around those words, laughing and relishing from the blond's mortified expression. "He and I used to talk about everything since I knew his older brother, Reno. You picked a good one, Roxy."
"It's actually Roxas. Axel just likes calling me, 'Roxy.' It's really just a pet name." The blond cleared his throat in embarrassment.
"Pretty cheesy name he gave you." Tifa remarked jokingly.
Roxas laughed before taking a sip of his drink, the alcohol burned in his throat slightly but he could care less. "I don't usually drink but…" His expression became downcast. "Axel is thirty minutes late."
"So I've noticed." Tifa answered in pity. "Just give Axel some time. Did you call him?"
The blond sighed. "I tried but my phone was out of battery. I just hope he gets here."
The two began to converse with each other as Tifa prepared more drinks for Roxas every time he asked. Soon, twenty minutes passed. The blond could never hold his alcohol like Axel but found himself drinking a glass anyway despite Tifa's warnings of him getting a little tipsy. Suddenly, his four glasses became eight. It wasn't surprising when he found himself a bit woozy. His surroundings start to blur.
"Uh….my head…I better should go home…." As he started to step out of his chair, he wobbled and made a messy attempt to grab the counter before falling down. Tifa rushed over and hefted him back on the chair.
"….Tifa…where's…Axel?" Roxas slumped onto the counter; the effects of the alcohol taking its course already.
"Ah…he must be running late."
Roxas's mind started to become more cloudy and emotional. "Did he….stood me up?"
Tifa's eyes widened before laughing sheepishly. "Of course not! Axel's not the type of person who would do such a thing!"
Glossy blue eyes looked up to her, slowly starting to tear up. "He doesn't….like me anymore?"
The woman panicked as Roxas's face started to pale and tear up. "H-hey, don't start crying now. How did you two, um, meet in the first place anyway?" She tried to bring a topic up for Roxas to keep him from crying.
Roxas's mind struggled to process her words as he stared blankly into a nearby glass. Slowly, his eyes became heavy as he recounted his beginning with Axel. His breathing calmed as he thought about the beautiful redhead.
7 years ago….
"And now, for the final round, Contestant 8, Axel and Contestant 13, Roxas will duel it off! This will decide the winner of this year's annual Struggle tournament!" an announcer cried out, gesturing to the two opposite sides. Blue eyes opened to meet green as they stood up from their places and stepped up on the podium. The announcer brought them together.
"So, remember the rules, okay? All's fair in love and war but keep it real. This is just a friendly battle which means don't destroy each other." the fat announcer said to both who only nodded in understanding.
The fourteen-year-old gave a crooked little smile before lugging his Struggle bat behind his back, his usual preparation stance. However, the sixteen-year-old, though, only smirked and begin to twirl his unusual weapons otherwise known as Struggle chakrams, a new weapon that Axel came up to serve only for his benefit.
"So, no hard feelings, right?" Roxas said quietly. "I don't want you to throw a tantrum when you get your butt handed to you by someone who's two years younger than you."
Axel snorted good naturedly and grinned, shaking his fiery red hair. "Whatever. Whoever wins this one pays for sea salt ice cream for a week, okay?"
Roxas nodded before jumping backwards and readying his weapon into battle stance. "Sure."
"Hmph, this vest and helmet is so stupid but getting free sea salt ice cream for a week sounds cool." Axel tugged at his vest and helmet that forced him to tie his hair up in a ponytail.
"Battle begin!"
It didn't take long for weapons to meet with the intent of knocking the other's orbs off. Red and blue orbs began to scatter quickly. Roxas was very flexible and nimble, easily dodging most of Axel's attacks but Axel's articulate and experienced skill with fighting with two weapons kept Roxas on his toes. Then, a few minutes later, Roxas struggle to hold the huge and heavy trophy as his number, 13, was cheered by the audience with Axel only looking at him in silence.
After the tournament was over, the two friends took their usual and clichéd 'friendship' place on top of the Twilight Tower. Roxas set the trophy down and flexed his tired and skinny arms.
"That trophy was really heavy…" the blond quietly complained before sitting down. Axel pulled out two magically un-melted ice cream bars out of his pocket and unwrapped one before handing it to Roxas. The blond gave him a sideways smile. "Thanks."
"Sure. There goes some of my munny that I could've spent on more hot sauce and candy." Axel lightly joked, making the other laugh. Roxas looked at his huge trophy and stared at the colored orbs hanging on the trophy. With a tentative hand, Roxas snapped two orbs. Blue and green.
"Axel." Roxas handed the green orb with Axel who took it hesitantly.
"You sure? I mean, this is…"
"Axel, you're like my best friend. Of course, I want to share my reward with you. You're the one who got me into Struggle battles in the first place anyway." Roxas answered good naturedly. He looked towards the setting sun. The redhead shrugged his shoulders and looked in Roxas's direction.
"Bet you don't know why the sun sets red."
"Huh?"
"You see, the sun is made of many colors and out of those colors, red is the one that travels the farthest." Axel answered, making Roxas roll his eyes. The blond only said, "Like I asked. Know-it-all!" The two friends laughed with each other before setting their orbs towards the sun, admiring their natural glow in silence.
"I still hear my number, 13, being echoed by the audience." Roxas finally said.
"And I still dream of hearing my number, 8, being chanted by my fans."
"I never thought I would win the tournament. I mean, people kept on telling me that 13 was such an unlucky number." the blond chuckled as he took a lick of his ice cream.
"Never took you as the superstitious type, Roxas. But, look at Saix, he was number 7 and he looked like he was ready to tear someone's head off after he got his ass handed to him on a silver platter by Xion." Axel replied, making Roxas chuckle. "Don't be ashamed of your number, Roxas. Technically, now your number and your name is written in Struggle history. Roxas, number 13. The Key of Defying Destiny and Superstitious Crap. Got a nice ring, right?"
The blond licked his blue and half melted ice cream bar and closed his eyes. "I guess. Axel, number 8 somewhat fits you. Then, since you had a twisted pleasure of burning ants under a magnifying glass and an unneeded habit of snapping your dad's lighter on and off, we can call you….The McFlurry of Pissing Flames."
"That's not nice, Roxas." Axel.
"Neither is being called a tool that opens a door." Roxas.
"You defy destiny and all those cheap fortunetellers! What's so bad about that?" Axel.
"What the heck does a key have to do with it?" Roxas.
"I dunno. I just thought it sounded cool." Axel.
"Beating up cheap fortunetellers doesn't sound that cool to me." Roxas.
"You're always so down to earth. Fine, let's just call you, Roxas, number 13. The Key of Destiny." Axel reluctantly whined, nudging Roxas's shoulder.
"Much better. And we shall call you, The Flurry of Dancing Flames." Roxas smiled, finishing his ice cream bar. Axel twitched his eye at his new title.
"These titles are going to be hard to remember. Why were we talking about this again?"
"I dunno. You started it." Roxas accused halfheartedly.
"I'll just always remember you as Roxas, number 13. Gotta get that memorized." Axel finally sighed but the blond smiled in approval.
"Alright. I'll remember you as Axel, number 8.
Number 8, Axel
Number 13, Roxas
0.o.0.o.0. The Beginning of a New High School Year
"You must've worked really hard to get on the struggle team. And the elite Varsity team at that too. Well, that Struggle tournament trophy must've earned you some credit too." a now 18-year-old redhead snorted as he looked over his small, now 16, blond friend. The two sat on the benches of the school athletics room.
"Still, it was hard. My back was aching like crazy from practice." Roxas groaned, rubbing his back and turned his head to Axel to only have a vest land on his face which quite hurt by the way. "Wouldn't it have been better to use jerseys instead?"
"Go whine at the coach if it's not good enough for you. Look at the back. It's been specifically designed for you."
Turning the black vest over, Roxas ran his fingers across bold white letters that said, 13. "Oh. The old "thirteen" joke, again? Guess yours has an 8."
"Yeah. You don't like it?" Axel scratched the back of his head nervously, expecting the blond to brighten and smile at the cliché uniform. Roxas shook his head.
"It's not like that. It's that, I half-expected that. I mean, you made such a big deal out of my thirteenth birthday after all last year. I would be really dense and stupid if I didn't expect that. And, truth be told, that joke is starting to get old. Fast." the blond responded quietly; blue eyes still looking unfazed and solemn.
Axel was surprised by Roxas's not-so dense but accurate observation skills. It was a recurring joke to both of them. "Uh…right." The conversation was suddenly getting awkward. "Roxas, lemme introduce you to the Struggle team."
After Roxas managed to get familiar with everyone, the one that made a lasting impact would probably be a bubbly and energetic brunet who he forgot the name of. Anyway, the guy was a spitting image of him except with brown and more wild hair. He also stayed in Roxas's mind mainly because he wouldn't stop talking. Others that stayed in the blond's mind was a silver-haired and silent teen that followed the brunet wherever they went (hmm, they must be together); the other was a girl that looked like Sora for a second but at the same time, really wasn't. Her name was Shion or something? The other people were just…people in Roxas's terms.
The coach of the struggle team hollered for them to take their places. Roxas picked up his weapon and looked around, looking lost. "So, uh, what do I do?"
"Well, we're going to practice our skills. Usual crap and stuff. The coach sets us up with a fighting partner and we just…duel it out. Just like the real games except we don't have those stupid helmets clouding our view."
Roxas, Axel, and the team stood at attention as the coach began to pair them off. Unfortunately, Roxas did not get paired up with Axel so the blond was left to deal with someone new. The said "someone" was walking up to his place, tying his silver hair up in a ponytail wordlessly and carrying a somewhat alike weapon like Roxas. Blue eyes meet the aquamarine eyes. Then, the silver-haired teen spoke.
"Hello there, I will be your partner for the day. And judging from your confusion, I see that you forgot my name already. I'm Riku." the boy smirked before raising his weapon behind and above his head. Using his other hand to gesture the other, he taunted Roxas in a teasing manner. "So, come at me?"
The blond jerked back in reality before readying his weapon. Riku hummed and commented on his battle stance. "Hmm, you not only have the same looks as Sora but the same battle stance? Whatever. The more easier for me."
Oh, that brunet was named Sora? Roxas was irked by the silver haired boy's arrogant teasing and immediately rushed at the other with speed. Riku moved his weapon to parry the other's gracefully before using one of his feet to land a kick on Roxas's stomach, knocking some of his orbs off his vest. "More aggressive but the battle style is nevertheless the same."
What Roxas did next was unexpected. He came at Riku again with the same beginning strike but twirled his weapon at the last moment to intertwine and lock the two weapons in place. Shoving an elbow in Riku's chest, it made the silver-haired teen gasped and flinched back slightly but that was all that Roxas need to take over Riku's weapon. Riku caught his remaining breath and looked up only to see the blond looking at him menacingly, brandishing two weapons hand in hand. Cursing under his breath, Riku ran across from his place to dodge a hit from Roxas who was easily adjusting to the power of two weapons. He jumped backwards to dodge the other weapon that Roxas had in his hand as he quickly try to formulate a plan in his mind. He glanced to the coach and yelled out, "Anything goes?"
"Anything could happen on a Struggle playing field, Riku!" was the response that Riku answered and needed for the permission to counter Roxas's sudden strength with a bit of cheating on the borderline.
Waiting for Roxas to come at him with his swift and fast hits, Riku jumped backwards as one of the weapons flew down and hit the floor. Jumping forward, he stomped on the weapon to prevent Roxas from using it and grabbed the blond's wrist with the other weapon and squeezed and forced it down violently, making Roxas released the other weapon. Riku snorted before kicking the weapon behind his foot to the side and catching the fallen weapon from Roxas's hands. "What comes as fast, goes as fast, Roxas."
With that, the silveret delivered a finishing blow to Roxas's chest with the weapon, knocking the wind and orbs off along with the body itself all the way to the other side of the floor. Roxas's head hit with a loud thunk as his body hit the floor, gasping out painfully and catching all the other Strugglers' attention. It had became painfully obvious that Riku was the winner but Roxas was…
"Roxas!" In an epic fashion, Axel threw himself at his close friend's body who was slowly opening his eyes drowsily but did not react to the sight of Axel standing over him. In fact, he didn't even seem to see that anyone was there. The redhead snapped his fingers in front of his best friend's eyes and gasped as Roxas didn't even seem to react. "Oi, dude, Riku, the purpose was to win the battle not kill the opponent!" Riku shrugged before walking towards his opponent's falling body. "Anything goes, you know. Besides, I was genuinely scared that Roxas was gonna maul me alive."
"Anyway, that's no reason to land a death blow. On Roxas's chest and head , no less!" Axel shook his head before moving his arms under Roxas's body and lifting him up gently. "I'm gonna go take him to the nurse's office."
"Somehow, is this like a cheesy and cliché yaoi scene or something?" the black-haired girl joked, making Axel flush slightly in embarrassment. Little did Xion know, maybe it was.
"Hmm. He took quite a blow to his head. If that was a heavy-duty weapon like a metal bat, it would've been sure to cause him to have some serious injuries. Nevertheless, his head should be okay. He's just going to be a bit sleepy for a couple days." the nurse, Aeris, commented, feeling the blond's forehead. "You're free to stay here for some time. I have to go run off some copies of Roxas's medical notes anyway."
As the nurse disappeared from the door, Axel looked back to the sleeping Roxas and ran his fingers through his blond hair. The redhead was surprised of how soft it felt despite its spiky and fierce appearances. He stared at Roxas's face, noticing how long the blond's eyelashes were. The blond slept peacefully; his mouth opening slightly. Axel always liked it every time the blond smiled or laughed. Sometimes, unconsciously, he wondered about who would be the lucky girl to kiss his best friend's beautiful mouth but he immediately was revolted by the surprisingly nauseating thought. He didn't know why though. Soon, Axel began to fall asleep on the floor and laid his head on the bed next to Roxas's.
After a couple minutes later, Roxas stirred from his sleep from a vibration in his pants. Drowsily, he rubbed eyes before making himself sit up and taking out his phone to see a text message from Sora who mysteriously managed to get his phone number somehow. The message was asking if he was okay now but Roxas was too tired to answer. The blond looked to his left to see his best friend sleeping soundly with a bit of drool hanging out from his mouth. Chuckling softly, he bend down and looked directly to Axel, maybe stirring Axel awake to freak him out by staring him at a close proximity.
However, his prank was quickly shot down by another daydream. Roxas sighed as he stared at his crush's face. Yes, Roxas Strife had a major crush on his best friend and still does now. He was in love with Axel, his personality, his annoying little quirks and the warmth and bubbly feeling he had when he was around the redhead. He fell in love with him last year. Inching his face towards Axel more, he unconsciously moved his hands to cup his crush's face with endearing eyes. The blond leaned forward to brush his lips against the redhead's, instantly going red and berating himself for doing a stupid and reckless thing and-
"Oh, you're awake, now?" a nurse suddenly spoke, making Roxas jump and push Axel's face away, making the redhead's eyes slowly flutter open groggily. The blond didn't even notice the school nurse came back. Blue eyes widened in embarrassment as he waved his arms frantically.
"I-I wasn't doing-"
Aeris laughed at Roxas's flushed face and stuttering while Axel just had the look that clearly said, 'I missed something big, didn't I?' The nurse gave him a friendly but sly and all-knowing grin, "Roxas, Axel, you may go back to class now." "I-I…um….I…" the blond trailed off, shaking and sparing loose glances to the redhead who just blinked dumbly.
"Did I miss something?" Axel finally spoke, not knowing why his best friend looked so flustered and red.
"No, dear. Your friend just picked his nose, thinking that nobody was there looking at him." Aeris laughed and answered, making Axel smirk and relish in his best friend's false embarrassment. "Go back to class now."
Roxas hopped off the bed, refusing to make eye contact with the nurse or Axel who was busy snorting behind him. He twist the doorknob to open the door, sighing in humiliation while Axel followed suit, snickering. Somehow, the blond was thankful the school nurse made such a dumb excuse to cover up his act of shame. It shall never be spoken in Axel's presence. Ever.
Later, in the school day, while Axel was using the restroom with Roxas standing outside waiting for him, the blond bumped into the school nurse again. Aeris looked down to him. "You know, Roxas. If you want to let off some steam or some stress about your 'problem,' you could always stop by my office. I could provide you some advice, you know. You're Cloud's little brother, right?"
"W-What? How did you know?" Roxas knew that the school nurse looked a bit familiar but just smacked himself for such an outrageous thought.
"Cloud and I were close friends in school 'bout twelve years ago. I should know. Besides, the resemblance gives it away. Just consider my offer, okay?" With that, the tall brunette walked away.
"Oh." Roxas looked pensively towards the floor in thought before Axel came out, spraying water from the sink at him.
Sure enough, the next day, Roxas went during lunch and ended up in front of the nurse's office. He hesitated and was about to knock on the door before Aeris opened it up herself. "Oh? Well, come in, Roxas."
Somehow, Roxas felt a warm feeling in the room and easily was able to open himself up to her. This continued on throughout the school year. With a deep breath, he sat down in a chair that Aeris helpfully pulled out and dropped his bag on the floor beside him.
0.o.0.o.0. And so the school year's done at its halfway peak.
The blond's stomach turned guiltily as a black-haired girl and he met eyes in Science class, making the girl blush and look down, giggling. Roxas knew that this girl would be one of his admirers when February 14 rolls around. This poor girl had been enamored by him ever since his brilliant stand against Riku and always to tries to talk to him after class. Unfortunately, Roxas did not appreciate it very much. Poor Xion.
As soon as the bell rang, Roxas raced out of his seat to ditch the obvious attempts of the girl to meet up with Axel. Today, he had a mission. To deliver a letter. Although, the idea sounds as cheesy as a Valentine Day's cliché, Aeris had assured him so many times that if he was so scared of confronting his feelings directly, why not do it indirectly with a letter?
Flashback:
"I feel like a lovesick idiot for doing this." Roxas muttered under his breath. "I have dignity too, you know. I'm not a girl."
"Oh, but it might be a good solution because you have your brother's stuttering problem when it comes to confronting strong emotions. Especially the ones that revolve around love. The letter can speak how you feel about him in a smooth and clean manner. And, it's a lot more easier to deal with when you confess or get rejected." Aeris replied, twirling a pen and gesturing him in an encouraging manner.
"You think?"
"Yes. Maybe, you can really test if he really loves you if you add some zest to the letter. If he understands the letter, he really does love you." the school nurse giggled slightly as Roxas turned red and looked down in his seat.
"Giving a letter that just says 'I love you.' is going to either make Axel crack up and not take me seriously or gape at me before saying, 'Are you serious?' Either way, that letter is going straight to his ego." Roxas argued back, worried.
"Then, add a little something. Say something deep and meaningful to him. Get him a little stumped by the letter. A guy who feels for you won't spend so much time with you if he gives up on the letter just because he can't understand it or refuses to take it seriously." the nurse replied calmly, lacing her fingers together. With that, a smile tugged on Roxas's face. Maybe, it would work.
Flashback end-
Knowing how dense Axel can be, rather than put in his locker then having him think that he had a secret chick admirer dumb enough to think that it's February 14, he wanted to give it to Axel directly. Sure enough, when he met up with the redhead and they started walking home, he gulped down the feelings of butterflies threatening to rise from his stomach and said in a tiny and cracking voice.
"Hey, Axel?"
"So, this teacher. I totally think he's out to get me or something- yeah, what?" the redhead stopped and strayed off topic as the blond spoke.
"I-I just want to thank you for being my friend, y-you know, after for so many years." Damn, it was so much easier to say this smoothly in front of the blond's bathroom mirror.
"Hmm? Roxas, you know I'm not the type to accept confessions in the wrong type of month." Axel joked, before blushing at the back of his mind. This sounded like that his best friend was confessing a crush on him or something. Pushing the ridiculous idea from his head, Axel shook his head. No way in hell. The blond had a LOT more pride than that.
"W-well, it's been over five years and I never gave you anything that symbolizes our friendship so, maybe a letter can express how I feel now?" Trembling, Roxas slowly opened up his bag and dig through for the letter.
"Geez, didn't know you could be a softie for things like that." Axel rubbed the nape of his neck sheepishly as he accepted the letter from Roxas's shaking hands. The letter was a soft color of gray and white, which struck Axel as casual but the redhead could somehow sense that it meant so much more than that. Sensing the tense situation, Axel made a casual joke. "What, are you confessing your love for me or something? Haha, that's a good one."
Roxas felt like melting away as Axel didn't even seem fazed to take him seriously and felt the hopelessness eating at him again. Not wanting to make it to evident on his face, the blond suddenly spoke. "Oh, look at the time. I totally forgot. I was supposed to help Cloud wash his car! See you tomorrow!"
Axel looked up with the letter still in his hands to see Roxas running away. "H-Hey, wait!" Then, something clicked in his head before he thought aloud to himself. "Wait, didn't Cloud have a motorcycle?"
Shrugging his shoulders, the redhead opened the folded paper and read it.
Hey, Axel
If you're reading this, I guess that this time is better than never. Axel, I truly care deeply for you and am really thankful for you becoming my friend. I was lost that day in the park and would probably shut myself out from the world if it weren't for you. With you, I feel like I could do anything. I love your personality, the way you laugh, your unique appearance, and everything about you. However, these feelings has changed through the years. And, to sum it up into sentences would be hard and long, so, if we're still deep with each other, understand the last thing I'm going to write.
813.
Roxas
The redhead reread the letter over and over again. 813? What was that supposed to mean? Thinking back, he tried and tried but couldn't think of anything. He knew that Roxas always seemed to be hiding something important in his eyes but he didn't know what. 813...813...813...Then, he got it. "Our numbers, combined!" The new increasing revelation in his head, he slowly realized. Roxas had feelings for him! How could he have not noticed? The feeling in his eyes must've been loneliness.
Racing to Roxas's house, he rang the doorbell and as soon as Cloud let him in, without much of a hello to Roxas's older brother(how rude), the redhead raced upstairs and into a room that he knew by heart. Roxas laid on his bed with ear buds plugged in his ears. Axel realized that he was drowning himself in music. Walking around the bed and peering at the blond, Axel looked over him, startling the blond.
"A-Axel?" The blond was shocked. It took the redhead this long to decipher his message?
"Roxas, I understood what your letter meant."
Roxas widened his eyes in shock. It was fast too. He didn't know that Axel was that sharp. With soft and cracking words, the blond said, "What do you think it means?"
Taking a deep breath, Axel said his answer. "You liked me, don't you?"
Roxas felt a flicker of hope in his chest until it was shot down by Axel's next sentence.
"I would be happy to date you. I kinda liked you too, you know."
The atmosphere suddenly turned cold.
The redhead's grin slowly died down as Roxas looked down in a forlorn manner. Roxas spoke his next sentence quietly. "So…you found out I had feelings for you. But, seeing that you didn't understand the true meaning of my letter, it proves of how careless and how reckless you are. This relationship won't work out this way if you can't understand a simple letter. Your feelings are hollow."
"You…weren't confessing to me?" Axel slowly said, feeling like he got punched in the gut. Roxas shook his head.
"I-I was." Roxas's lower lip was trembling now. "But, the feelings you have are null and empty. I knew it the moment when you couldn't decipher a simple letter. I don't just 'want' to date you, you know. My feelings are more stronger than that. I'm your best friend no less too!"
Axel blinked and that was when he saw the blond broke down into tears. "Roxas, I…."
"Get out."
"W-wha?"
Roxas looked up. He felt absolutely stupid for overreacting over a stupid letter than stupid Axel couldn't take the meaning of but he couldn't control the pain and tears that were pouring out his body. He was a greedy person who expected more out of Axel than he should have. And now, because of that, everything is ruined. "J-just give me some time to cool off. The last person I need to see is you."
"Roxas, but-"
"GET OUT!" With that, Roxas violently pushed Axel out of his room and shut the door in his face. Cloud walked into view and looked up to see Axel banging on the door in panic, chanting Roxas's name like a mantra. The older blond knew something happened but quietly called Axel. "Axel. You need to go. Roxas is obviously distraught right now."
Turning to Cloud, Axel's eyes looked pained with tears threatening to fall out. "Shut up, Cloud!" However, nevertheless, feeling miserable, Axel slowly trudged down the stairs.
"What happened?"
"I-I didn't get Roxas's feelings for me. I thought t-that the way he combined our numbers was him confessing to me." Axel bursted out, wanting desperately for himself or anyone to get this emotional load off his mind somehow. Roxas's older brother stared blankly at him.
"He fell for you hard, Axel. For you not to respect that and to treat him as another chick that you want to date, you'd think he wouldn't be mad at you." Cloud replied in a tone devoid of all emotion. "I heard Roxas was writing you a letter. May I see it?"
Limply, Axel held out a dead-like hand with a letter and dropped it into Cloud's hands. The tall blond quickly read through the letter and understood the meaning completely. "Hey, here's a hint, Axel. 813 holds more meaning and a stronger message than you think. It's not just a 'combined number.' I'll tell you that." With that, Cloud guided the heartbroken teen to the door. Axel stopped his tears before thinking to himself, a deeper meaning? How?
0.o.0.o.0.
The next few weeks passed by as Axel thought and reread the letter over and over again. Roxas got over the whole ordeal on the outside within a week but even so, a certain blankness was left in his eyes. A thing that Axel didn't like at all. It also pained Axel that most of Roxas's smiles whenever he did smiled looked forced. The redhead knew that he unwittingly crushed the blond's heart and it was his job to pick up the broken fragments and try to repair the whole situation before Roxas succumbs back into depression and stress and Cloud sends him to a therapist.
Unbeknownst to both of them, it was both affecting their fighting prowess. The decrease of attention did not go unnoticed by Sora and Riku at the Struggle club afterschool.
"Hey, get your ass out of the clouds, doofus." Riku called out as he noticed Roxas's hits getting more sluggish than usual. Meanwhile, Sora noticed Xion actually winning against Axel which concerned him. As far as he know, Axel never lost against Xion. Ever. Well, there were firsts to everything but judging from Axel's distant look, there was a problem. The brunet widened his eyes in disbelief as Xion knocked Axel's chakrams out of his hands with ease, making her win by default. The redhead looked to his left to see his empty hand. Oh, so he lost.
Sora ran over to Axel as the redhead's knees suddenly collapsed. "Axel, you're definitely not okay. What happened?"
"I lost…" Axel slowly got up onto his feet.
The brunet's blue eyes still remained concerned. "Haven't you notice of how out of it you've been for the past few weeks?"
"Just a bit tired today, Sora." the redhead turned his head to Sora with distant and sleepy eyes. "You have really pretty eyes, Sora. They're so blue…like…" Unconsciously, Axel leaned in towards Sora's now panic stricken face. The redhead gasped for air as Riku suddenly swoop down, aiming a powerful kick in his gut and holding Sora against his chest protectively.
"H-huh? Oh, sorry about that, Riku." the redhead stuttered out, holding his stomach painfully. He glanced towards his right to Roxas who refused to even look at him in the eye.
"Cut the crap, Axel. What happened with you and Roxas?" the silver-haired teen asked in a blunt manner.
"Nothing. We're just-"
"You just tried to kiss my boyfriend. Of course there's something wrong." the other rudely interrupted. The fact that Axel was desperate enough to pretend that Sora was Roxas was already a big sign.
Axel looked down in embarrassment and humiliation. Sora softly placed a hand on Axel's shoulder in pity. "Something big broke between the two of you. Roxas has been acting the same way in Science class."
Axel sighed dejectedly. "Yeah." He paused before reluctantly explaining his situation to the two. Sora shook his head and let out a soft cry of dismay while Riku showed concerned eyes before saying, "Wow, and you wonder why Roxas thought you were an asshole."
"Riku!" Sora yelled out with a warning tone. The silver-haired teen backed away and looked down quietly.
As soon as practice ended, Axel and the rest went to their lockers to get their stuff. Sora grabbed his bag with Riku close behind him and walked up to Axel. "You said something about a letter, Axel?"
The redhead took his bag and hanged his vest in his locker before closing it and facing Sora. "Yeah. I guess you want to see it too?"
"Yup." With that, Sora was handed a folded piece of letter. The brunet and his boyfriend opened it up and quickly glanced through it. "Roxas sounds like he was confessing?"
Axel leaned against his locker and looked up towards the ceiling. "He was but the way I tried to reciprocate his feelings pissed him off. I said the wrong words and I can't take it back until I figure out the right message he was trying to give me. It has something to do with the last sentence though. 813."
The couple in front of him paused in thought and looked at each other. Then, they turned to the redhead. "We got nothing, sorry, Axel."
"Tell Roxas to write a more understandable letter next time." Riku muttered with a dismissive hand.
"What? That'll just make him hate me even more!"
"Riku! Sorry, Axel."
Axel looked down dejectedly before an idea popped in his head. "If it isn't too much to ask, how the hell did you two get together? Because if I remember correctly, you two only got together because I accidentally spilled the beans when Sora was wailing at his seemingly unrequited love."
"Oh, that. I should've kicked your ass for that but oh well. Sora told me about that later but that was after I confessed to him a week later myself. I-" Riku scratched his head, looking away embarrassed.
"He eventually confessed to me using a hangman game. He's a closet romantic. I'm more of a gamer type so he made it just for me. After playing it with him, he spelled out the message, 'I like you.' It was cute." Sora giggled, following Riku's statement.
"I only made that game because Sora wouldn't know I like-like him if it hit him on the head. Tch, I am not a romantic." the silver-haired teen snorted, making Sora whine in indignation.
Axel stared in disbelief. Taking out a notebook and pencil from his backpack, he asked again, "Riku really said those words?"
"Yeah."
Axel wrote the words down on a piece of paper and held it up for them to see. "The great heartless Riku really wrote this?"
"Yup."
"Unbelievable…." the redhead trailed incredulous.
"And this is why you will never get laid." Riku muttered as Axel blinked at them then to the words then back again at them.
"I thought I would never hear or the see the day Riku would ever utter out those three words." Axel snickered, making Riku splutter out curses. Then, the redhead suddenly blinked in thought. "Three words….three words…..three!"
"And he calls me the dumb one…" Sora said quietly as Axel seemed to turn ecstatic over the number, three.
"Of course! The sentence, 'I like you' is made of three words!" Axel felt like an absolute idiot now. "That's part of the message!" However, the redhead did know that Roxas did not just like him; the blond loved him. Now having a clue to jumpstart his mind, the redhead muttered to himself some things to what seem to be piecing a puzzle together. Sora and Riku merely stared at him and both jumped slightly as the redhead let out a cry of triumph.
Checking his watch, Axel figured he still got some time to visit Roxas. Slapping his bag right over his shoulder, he started to running towards the exit of the school. "Gotta go, thanks! See you!"
"You're welcome! Go get him, tiger!" Sora finally spoke, waving his hand smiling. Riku just looked in Axel's direction before looking at the smaller one in silence.
"…You don't have a clue of what just happened do you?" the silver-haired teen finally said.
"Nope!"
0.o.0.o.0.
Axel began to repeat the start of his last failed attempt with the letter but he was determined to take the blond with him this time. Ringing the doorbell, Axel waited and was surprised to see Roxas at the door instead of Cloud. Roxas widened his eyes in shock before going back to a calm and quiet aura and attempted to shut the door in Axel's face. However, the redhead used his foot as a doorstop and put his arm on the door frame, towering over the blond.
"Look. I…I really wanna redo my response to your letter. What I said back then was totally not what I meant." Axel started to say as Roxas backed away.
"…Sticks and stones make break my bones but words can never hurt me. What a bunch of bull." Roxas finally said.
"Roxas, I wasn't really, you know, considering the whole '813' bit at the very end of the letter. But, I think I finally figure it out." Axel replied. He smirked inwardly as he saw a flicker of hope pass Roxas's face.
"The 8 stands for eight letters." Axel started slowly. Roxas breathed and nodded. Holding out one finger with his right hand, Axel continued. "The 1 stands for one special meaning." The blond widened his eyes.
"Don't look so shocked, Roxas. Finally," Axel leaned down to Roxas's face. "The 3 stands for three words, I love you. Am I right?" The blond parted his mouth before closing it and nodded his head slowly.
"Roxas, I want you to close your eyes and please brace yourself for my answer."
Roxas complied before closing his eyes. No sooner he closed his eyes, he felt a warm pair of lips covered his own for a short while before leaving them briefly. The blond felt himself being hugged and slowly reciprocated the action, smiling. Axel whispered the words he very much wanted to hear, "I love you."
Roxas only breathed out, "813." They kissed slowly again before parting and hugging once more.
Axel smiled and closed his eyes, burying himself in Roxas's soft spiky hair. "813 indeed."
Present
Tifa swatted any possible men away from a now dozing off Roxas as she glanced at the clock. Roxas has been here for an hour and ten minutes. The blond has been asleep for twenty minutes. As she sighed, thinking what a jerk Axel was, the said redhead burst out of nowhere and walked briskly over. The busty woman leaned on the counter with her hand on her hip with one obvious question on her lips, "Where have you been?"
"Where else? The university. Damn professor Zexion for making me late to my own party. He has the most boring and long lectures ever!" the twenty-four year old scowled as he plopped in a seat as he saw a sleeping Roxas. His emerald eyes soften at the sight.
"Your boyfriend has been here for over an hour!" Tifa reprimanded, clicking her tongue and shaking her head.
"Oh? You met Roxy?" Axel asked curiously as he leaned over to graze a hand on his boyfriend's face.
"Don't give me that. Yeah, I knew him the instant he said that he was with you but seriously, to be late to your own anniversary as a couple? That's heartless." the bartender shook her head in disappointment. Axel widened his eyes in confusion before narrowing his eyes slightly in indignation.
"I send Roxy a text, saying that I was going to be running late because of my professor's stupid ass lecture."
Tifa suddenly remembered Roxas mentioning that his phone ran out of battery. She sighed and glanced at the sleeping blond. "His phone was dead. He seemed really upset. He drank four glasses. Not bad for a short and small one like him. He was emotional and hysterical and thought you stood him up."
The redhead paled and said, "I would never do such a thing!"
"You better wake him up and hope he's not mad at you." the bartender answered sternly.
The redhead looked over to the blond and stood up from his chair and gently shook the blond. Roxas stirred and turned his head towards Axel with half-lidded glazed eyes and a partly-opened mouth. Axel blushed at the appealing sight before shaking it out of his mind. Roxas whispered out drowsily, "Axel….?"
"Hey there, Roxy. Didn't know your phone was dead. Sorry I was late." Axel said softly. Roxas whined and moaned.
"I feel...tired." was the blond's answer. Obvious response, eh?
Axel glanced at the bar clock. "I'll try to make it up to you somehow. It's getting pretty late. I should take you home."
Roxas feebly raised his head before dropping again in an attempt to lift himself. He turned to Axel slowly with sleepy eyes and made a huge effort to raise his arms limply towards his boyfriend. "…Carry me…"
Axel smiled in relief as Roxas was too drowsy to even care to be mad at him. "Of course. Thanks for watching over him for me, Tifa." The bartender saluted to him.
Taking hold of Roxas's back and under his legs, Axel lifted the blond bridal style. Roxas slowly interlocked his fingers around his neck and hugged him, burying his face into his neck.
The redhead gasped inwardly as his neck felt suddenly wet. The blond was crying.
"Axel….I thought….you left me…"
"I…would never do that to you. I love you too damn much to do that."
Roxas's eyes became wetter as he inhaled Axel's spicy scent against his neck. "Remember…813?"
The mention of that tugged the edges of Axel's lips. "Of course. How can I ever forget that?"
"813, Axel." Roxas whispered as tears poured down from his face and onto Axel.
Axel smiled before holding the blond closer to his body lovingly. "I could only say the same. Happy 8/13, Roxas."
/
Well….this didn't turn out as well as I had planned but what done is done. Please make me happy and review!