Prologue

I sighed as the bell rang, taking one last drag off of the half-smoked cigarette and flicking it, foot reflexively grinding it into the ground. I ran a hand through my spiky red hair and let out another sigh, watching my breath condense in front of me. It was getting colder and colder out, and Twilight Town was due for some snowfall tonight. Then I'd have to withstand the frigid air to get my daily dose of nicotine.

Ah, well, not like I don't need to kick the habit anyway...

I opened the door and slipped inside the school, merging with the mob of kids going down the hallway to their next class. I caught the principals eye and gave him a small smile, getting one in return. Mr. Xigbar might look intimidating, but underneath the eye patch, he was as soft as a teddy bear after being sent through the dryer.

Besides, who was going to reprimand one of the school's best behaved students for standing outside during lunch?

I stopped when I arrived at my locker, twirling the combination lock. What the hell class did I have next, anyway? Calculus? Chemistry? I banged my head against the locker as the lock didn't budge, hissing profanities under my breath. One of the most well-behaved students, all right...

"Bad day?"

"Shuddup, Demyx." I didn't even turn around, the voice of my best friend recognizable instantly from having hung around him for- well, forever.

Demyx leaned against the bank of lockers, facing the opposite wall, attracting the attention of the girl standing next to him. He flashed her his trademark Demyx smile (he should copyright that thing) and she walked away, giggling."So what's up?"

"Nothing." I sighed and slammed my head against the locker again. Demyx pushed me to the side and pulled the lock off in one fluid motion, opening the locker. He probably had my combination on his mental list of things to remember, he did that so often.

"Right, Axel..."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"...Is it Marluxia?"

In all of my life, I had never met anyone as flamboyantly gay as Marluxia, nor had I understood how any guy could have the balls to dye their hair pink on an almost bi-weekly basis. It was a wonder I tolerated the guy long enough to date him.

"Did he dump you?" Demyx's voice was low as a group of giggling freshman walked by. I jerked my head in a 'yes' gesture. "Why?"

"Something about me being uncomfortable with myself and being unable to date someone who was still in the closet. He felt it restrained him from having a real relationship." I waved a hand uncaringly as I dug out my calculus book. I don't know how I forgot I had it- it was my favorite class next to Advanced Chem.

"He said that to you?"

"Not those exact words, no. I simplified them. He used much more flowery terms." I snorted. "If the guy doesn't become a botanist, he'll be an English major."

"He always did have a big vocabulary. You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I slammed my locker shut and put the combination lock back on. "See you after class?"

Demyx looked at me in disbelief. "I guess."

I ruffled his hair affectionately as I walked past him, laughing as Demyx cursed me 'to the nearest toaster oven, you fucking pyromaniac.' That kid was picky about his hair, that was for sure. I was contemplating how much gel Demyx used to get that mohawk/mullet look when I walked into class and went to sit down- only to find my seat taken.

The seat-taker in question was tapping his fingers on the desk, idly staring off into space. He had spiky blond hair, blue eyes, and would probably come up to my chin if he stood up. He was actually kind of cute.

But he's defiantly straight. Anybody that cute always is.

Cute or not, I wasn't giving up that seat without a fight. I walked over and cleared my throat.

"You're in my seat."

The blond looked over at me, blue eyes seemingly cold. "Is your name on it?"

I could do nothing but gape- for about half a second. What was this kid thinking? And those eyes- I mentally shook myself. My manhood was at stake here. "Now, but as it has been since the beginning of the year, I think it counts as claimed."

"Correction: it was your seat, until I moved here and was put in this class. Now it's my seat." Blondie responded without missing a beat.

I opened my mouth to retort -this kid was quick on the uptake- but was quickly interrupted. "Ah, making friends with the new student already, Axel?"

I put on my most charming smile. "Of course, Mr. Vexen. You know me, always trying to make everyone feel welcome."

Mr. Vexen smiled, pushing a lock of hair behind his ear. "So I'm sure you'll have no problems helping Roxas here with our recent lesson on circle tangents?"

"I'd be delighted." I kept smiling until his back was turned, and then immediately narrowed my eyes, looking back to Blondie. "Move, kid, unless you want your socks lit on fire and hung from that Christmas tree in the main hall."

Blondie- what was his name, Soxas? How fitting, considering my recent threat- raised an eyebrow. "Oooh, I'm scared now."

Now this kid was starting to get to me. Usually the mention of my pyrotechnics sent people running to the opposite end of the room. "Look, I've been sitting there since I started this class. To move would throw off my entire balance. I specially cleaned that desk-"

"OCD much?"

"I am not obsessive- compulsive!"

"Could have fooled me."

"Problem, gentleman?"

"No, Mr. Vexen." I smiled politely and dropped into the seat behind Blondie, drilling holes into the black of his head with my laser vision.

Or would have, if I had said laser vision. I settled for pretending.

"And then he turns around and goes 'Does it look like it has your name on it?' I mean, I've been sitting in that seat since god knows when, and wouldn't you know, some random new kid waltzes in and just sits wherever he pleases, not giving a care in the world-"

"Axel, it's a seat. Shut up. Sit in another one." Demyx was tuning his guitar, playing nonsensical tunes on it. We were sitting in our usual after school haunt- his basement- and getting homework done. Or, in my case, whining about my abysmal time in Calculus.

"But Dem, you don't understand. I've been siting in that seat since algebra. That seat is my baby."

"Funny. I thought only male seahorses could give birth."

"You would know, you're the one taking marine biology."

"Yes I am." Demyx responded and, apparently getting the right sound out of his guitar, started to play a soothing tune. Knowing better than to annoy him while he was playing, I flipped through my chemistry book, looking for the periodic table. Why I had to know what compound NaCl and K made, I had no clue (I only took it to fill my science requirement, and any class with flammable chemicals is okay in my book). It was silent like that for a few minutes, and I felt myself relaxing in the familiar atmosphere. Demyx and his music had that kind of effect on you.

"So what happened with Marluxia?" Demyx asked, still focused on whatever he was playing. I looked up in surprise, not expecting the silence to be broken.

"What?"

"What happened with Marluxia?"

"I already told you." I said, flipping one of the pages harder than necessary.

"Not really. What started all of it?"

"Nothing." I said, unable to be completely angry but annoyed all the same. "Just some stupid side comment I made while at his house about his girlish tendency for growing flowers."

I heard Demyx let out a chuckle. "Well, you know, he does have that entire petunia garden in his backyard."

"Exactly! All I said was not only did he have pink hair, but he had to be girly enough to have pink flowers, too?"

"Bet he didn't like that." Demyx started humming under his breath.

"No, actually. He flipped out on me, saying excuse him for being gay, but he thought I would be a tad more appreciative of his feelings, and that at least he was man enough to not fool everyone into thinking he was something he's not."

"Ouch."

"I was burned in the metaphorical sense."

"So what happened after that?"

"He told me we were over, I went home and burned old tests in my bathroom sink."

"Nice coping mechanism."

"I could have burned myself." I reminded, taking my lighter out of my pocket.

"Good point."

Another blissful minute of silence. I flicked the lighter lazily, not paying attention as Demyx set his guitar to the side.

"So, who's this new kid you're obsessed with?"

"I'm not obsessed with him!'

"Sure you aren't..."

"I'm not! I just have issues with the kid taking my seat, is all!"

"Right. Whatever you say."

Conveniently enough, my cell phone chose that moment to ring.

"Well, I guess I should take this." I glared at Demyx and flipped the phone open without checking the ID. "Axel's crematory, you kill 'em, we incinerate 'em."

"...I was going to ask if this was Axel, but I don't need to now."

"Who's this?" I asked, not recognizing the voice.

"Roxas. The kid from your calc class who stole 'your seat'." I could almost see him doing air quotes on the other side of the line.

"Oh. What do you want?" I flicked my lighter nervously, watching the flame.

"Mr. Vexen told you that you were supposed to help me catch up. We didn't arrange when."

"Point?" The flame went out and I flicked the lighter on again.

"Point is, I would like to pass this class so I can get out of 'your seat' and not have you 'burn my socks and hang them from that Christmas tree in the main hall'."

Wait, was this kid throwing my lines back at me?

...Yes, he was. I should probably finish this conversation before I got my ass handed to me.

"When do you want to meet?"

"Today's Friday, right? Meet me in the library about two tomorrow." Before I could respond, or agree for that matter, the line went dead.

"Nice talking to you, too. I'll be happy to help you with your calculus tomorrow." I said into the receiver before flipping it closed.

"Did you just hang up on him?" Demyx had been watching the exchange from a couch, where he had moved after I had picked up my phone.

"No, he hung up on me. I just wanted to have the last word." I pointed out, setting my lighter down next to me on the floor.

"So what was that about?"

"I need to meet him in the library at about two tomorrow so he can catch up in calculus."

"Oh, so you're helping him?"

"Yes."

"At the library?"

"What are you getting at?"

Demyx smirked. "You, my friend, have a date."

My eyes widened in horror. "It's not a date, it's a study thing."

"In other words, a study date."

I didn't know how to respond to this, so I threw my chemistry textbook, hoping to hit somewhere vital. It landed on his stomach.

"What grade is he in, anyway?"

"I don't know, Junior?"

Demyx raised an eyebrow. "He's jail bait for you- even better."

"Wha-I never-What the- shut up!"

"It's okay, Axel, it's not a date, remember?"

"And you'll remember it, too."

"Of course I will, cradle robber."

I snapped my mouth shut and, unable to come up with something good to say, settled for glaring at him and flicking my lighter again.

Demyx smirked. "And Axel has no witty retorts. Someone write this down on the calendar."

"...Shut up."

I watched as Roxas tapped his fingers against the granite tabletop, fingers drumming out some sort of rhythm. We had met here as planned, and I had been trying (in vain) to make conversation with the kid. He was proving uncooperative.

"So, why'd you transfer here?"

"That's none of your business." Roxas looked me straight in the eye, unwavering.

"Well, do you at leas know anybody here?"

"...Well, I have an Uncle Cid, and Demyx is my cousin-"

I started hacking, coffee coming out my nose. Nearby people looked around at us, and then went back to their business. The librarian looked up sharply and I smiled, not quite pulling it off due to the coffee all over my face.

"Demyx is your cousin?" I asked, wiping coffee off of my face and the table.

"Yeah. What's it to you?" Roxas asked, defensive. The bell over the door tinkled and a sudden burst of cold air rushed in, making both of us shiver.

"...He's my best friend."

Roxas opened his mouth to respond and snapped it closed, startled, when a blond sat down next to him.

"Gosh, it's cold out there, and we haven't even gotten five inches of the stuff yet... anyway, Axel, did you hear the news?"

"Hear what news, Larxene? And that eyeliner looks horrible on you."

Larxene rolled her blue eyes, red eyeliner prominent. "Just something I wanted to try." She pulled a string off the side of her black shirt, discarding it on the floor.

"Bad excuse for a fashion statement?" I watched Roxas out of the corner of my eye- he had gone back to doing his homework, and was working through it at a steady pace. Chances were he didn't need my help to begin with. "What do you want, anyway?"

"Seifer's gang knocked Marluxia up pretty bad. He's in the hospital now." Larxene leaned in, keeping her voice down.

"What?" I said, louder than necessary. The librarian made a shushing noise, putting her finger to her lips for effect. "What? Why?" I said, voice brought down a few decibels and leaning closer to Larxene.

"He was walking home from Riku's and took a shortcut through the sandlot. Seifer's gang had stayed later than normal, and well..." Larxene waved a hand. "I went to see him earlier. He's going to be okay, it could have been a lot worse. He just needed some stitches."

I exhaled sharply, hands clenching. "Was anyone else there?"

"Yeah, actually. Hayner and them were there, but they couldn't do anything to stop it. Seifer was probably showing off to prove how tough he is- of course, the way to do that is to beat up the gay kid, right?" She let out a laugh at that point. "Speaking of which-" her voice went down even lower, glancing at Roxas to make sure he couldn't hear. "Marly wouldn't tell me, did you two-"

I jerked my head an affirmative and she sighed. "I'd ask you to tell, but I'll just ask Demyx."

"You do that." I banged my fist on the table in irritation, ignoring another warning look from the librarian. "This is making me want to commit arson."

"Nah, don't do that, we still need a goody two-shoes to show up the administration." Larxene smirked at the look on my face.

"I'm not a goody two-shoes!" I said, appalled. I sat back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest. I looked at Roxas out of the corner of my eye, and saw his hand shaking slightly as he wrote. "Oh, Larxene, this is Roxas."

Larxene turned to look at him, and then got a confused look on her face. "Wait, didn't I just see you over at McDonald's?"

"Nope."

"You went to McDonald's and didn't bring me any?" I placed a hand over my heart.

"I ate it already." She fired back, then turned to face Roxas again. "But I thought I did! You cashed me out-"

"That would be my brother, Sora."

"Oh? You're a twin, then?"

"No duh."

"...You're a bit snippy, aren't you?"

"Leave him alone, Larxene."

It was Larxene's turn to look appalled. "You're sticking up for the kid?"

"I'm telling you to stop before you attempt to disembowel him."

"Oh, that's it?" Larxene laughed again, pulling on her gloves. "I won't do that yet, I have some disemboweling of my own to attend to. Where do you think Seifer's at?"

"Don't do anything stupid, Larx."

"Me? Never. You don't have a cig on you, do you?"

I passed the pack to her and she pulled one out, sticking it in her pocket. "Well, you two play nice." she laughed, handing the pack back and sweeping out the door, bringing another burst of cold air in. I looked back to Roxas, who had put his pencil down and cupped his face in his hand, looking thoughtful.

"That's Larxene. She's not bad, once you get to know her. She's not one to tick off, though." Roxas shrugged at my comment.

"That Marluxia guy... he's gay?"

I froze for a minute, then laughed as I realized the kid had been listening.

"Yeah, and he doesn't hide it, either." I sighed. "I kinda admire him for it... the poor guy gets beat on a lot. Normally someone's always with him, but I guess that no one was around last night."

"So he gets beat on all the time." The way it was said, it wasn't a question.

"Well, we over exaggerate, I suppose. Not all the time, maybe once every six months or so... usually everyone just talks about him behind his back."

Roxas let a hiss out, teeth clenched. "I've gotta go."

"Now? We haven't finished."

"I'll figure it out." Roxas grabbed his books, stopped while passing me and lowered his voice. "Axel, are you gay?"

I froze, wide-eyed, staring at him. He had said it quiet enough so that only I could hear, but the question seemed amplified to the point that everyone knew what was asked. It would be all over- Axel's gay, omigod! Did you hear about Ax? Never thought he'd be like that-

"No." I answered, averting my gaze to a spot on the table. Roxas snorted.

"That's what I thought." He walked out the door, letting in yet another blast of cold air, this one mingled with snowflakes.

I was going to keep going, but the bunny said to end it here. Mind you, I hate this bunny. And this chapter. Only you can change my mind. But I have to finish this, even if it sits on my hard drive. I might as well share! So, more coming up soon, if everyone likes it. If not, that's fine too. But if you want more, you have to review!

...Damn bunnies are making me rhyme.

Before you ask, yes, there will be slash, but not until later in the story. The plan is to have this done by Christmas, and then maybe have a sequel. The way it's planned out, this will probably be 5-6 chapters.

That's all! Besides another subliminal message telling you to review.

Love,

Serexion