Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts

A/N: More Inertia Creeps/Three Changes verse stuff. Make what you will of this.

Buried

"So … did you check out the drummer for The World Ends With You? I know I get shit from people sometimes, but how fucking crazy was he? Completely out of this world!"

"No crazier than you are, Dem. You know he's from Brooklyn, right?"

"No fucking way! I thought all of them were from Japan!"

"The bassist, guitarist and their vocalist are all from Shibuya. Their drummer and rhythm guitarist are from the city. …You mean you couldn't tell from their accents?"

"I really wasn't paying attention to that, but, while we're on the topic, did you talk to their bassist? He was really strange … guy gave me the creeps. Both of their guitarists were pretty cool though … their singer was a real asshole. He just walked around the entire night with his stupid headphones on thinking he was all cool and stuff. He barely said a word to anyone!"

"Are you sure it wasn't just you?"

"What's that supposed to mean, Axel?"

"Hm…"

"Ugh, whatever. Yo, are you almost done rolling? I wanna go smoke already."

"Just a second, damn it. Demyx, you know, you could do yourself a favor and watch and learn from me so I don't always have to do this for you. It's a real hassle."

I turned an eye toward Demyx and Axel who was sitting on the couch opposite of the one I was stretched out on. Demyx had his arms crossed over his chest as he tapped one of his feet impatiently on the floor. Axel seemed unperturbed, but slightly annoyed nonetheless.

Axel finally pulled away from the coffee table in front of him and sealed the joint in his hands. He flicked his lighter on and ran it quickly over the joint before passing it off to Demyx. Demyx gleefully jumped to his feet and was about to thank Axel when he eyed the lighter next to Axel's thigh expectantly. Axel rolled his eyes and threw the lighter in Demyx's direction and muttered for him to go away. Demyx didn't waste any time disappearing from view as he went to go find Zexion.

"God, he does that all the damn time."

I snorted at Axel's annoyance and started flipping through the channels again. We had just come back from one of the VMA after parties and none of us were really in the mood to do any strenuous activity, so we'd return to the hotel for the night.

"Have something to say?"

"It's not hard." I replied, stopping on some movie channel before I lost interest in it again, "But this is Demyx we're talking about."

Axel cast a curious glance in my direction, "Oh? I'm assuming you have knowledge on the subject then?"

"…Do we really have to go over this again?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in his direction, "Hello? Drugs? Rehab when I was teenager? Have we forgotten already?"

"Right, right, right …" Axel nodded in understanding as he turned around and stretched out on the couch. Balancing one leg atop of his raised knee and clasping his hands behind his head, he started to twirl his foot around in thought, "…So then. You're a reformed pothead."

I got up and threw one of the pillows propped up behind me head in his general direction. When he laughed and dodged my first one, I instantly began looking around for another to throw, "You're such an idiot. Shut up."

"Hey, you started it with – it's not that hard." He grinned, turning his head slightly to look in my direction, "I think that speaks volumes right there."

I didn't bother to respond as Demyx made an appearance with Zexion trailing a little ways behind him. He was currently talking Zexion's ear off—as if that were a surprise—as the two of them crossed the living room and headed for the balcony on the other side of the room. Zexion must have been reading because his glasses were balanced precariously on his nose and his finger was stuck between the pages of a thick tome.

I would never understand the dynamics of this band.

"Hey!" Demyx called to the two of us as Zexion unlocked the balcony door and stepped outside. The warmth of the late summer air wafted into the cool hotel room as he left the door open behind him. Demyx nodded toward outside, "You two coming with us?"

Axel looked at me in question and I shrugged my shoulders. He shook his head, "Nah, we're good."

"Suit yourself!" Demyx called out behind him as he closed the door and we were left in silence once again.

"…So how old were you?" Axel asked as soon as Demyx and Zexion were gone.

"It would really help if you stopped asking me half questions and clarify what you mean."

"Pot, Roxas." He replied, slightly exasperated, "How old were you when you smoked it for the first time?

"Fourteen." I replied. "You?"

"Sixteen." He answered, "I don't necessarily need the stuff, though. Demyx is the one living in a perpetual haze around here."

"I couldn't tell." I replied flatly, rolling my eyes.

"Well, he used smoke a lot more in our teens, but he's mellowed out since then," Axel frowned and bit at his lip for a minute. He waved his hand in the air and shook his head, "Me? I smoke occasionally, but it doesn't really do much for me. Either puts me to sleep or I just want to eat everything in the vicinity. Mostly … mostly chips … or like french fries or something…"

"Are you sure you aren't high right now?"

"Nope, but I do live life on a permanent high, don't you know?"

"Permanent brain damage is more like it." I sat up on my couch and glanced over my shoulder at the clock hanging in the kitchen, "Are you hungry?"

"Why?" He asked, leaning over the arm of the couch to look at me, "We've got food here, you know? And if you're hungry, we can just phone down to room service and order whatever."

I shook my head and glanced toward the door of the hotel room, "I want to go out and get something." I stated, leaning forward and looking at Axel intently. I glanced toward my checkered Vans on the floor nearby and then back to Axel, "If that's not a problem."

Axel glanced toward the balcony door and then stretched his arms out over his head, "Hmm … nah, we can go for a little ride if you want to. What do you have in mind?"

"…I don't know," I replied, shrugging tiredly, "I'll know it when I see it."

-x-

My idea to get food soon turned into a two hour road trip that neither of us seemed to object to.

We had gotten some milkshakes and fries at the nearest fast food joint near our hotel and then Axel asked me if I wanted to drive around Los Angeles for a little while and just take in the sights. Well, driving around Los Angeles eventually turned into one wrong turn onto the highway and here we were … two hours outside of Los Angeles—(somewhat lost, although according to Axel, he knew where he was going)—and nowhere near heading back.

I didn't mind, really. I was currently lounging back in my chair, feet propped up against the dash board, with the empty bag of fries balanced in my lap. Axel had the windows rolled down just slightly, so the rushing breeze feathered the tips of my hair. He was tapping one of his hands to the beat on the radio and staring straight ahead into the distance.

"It's nice tonight." Axel murmured, turning the radio down slightly and glancing in my direction.

I turned to look at him, "Where are we going exactly?"

Axel shrugged, "Just driving at this point. It …just feels like one of those nights that calls for something like this, doesn't it?" He paused, "…Or have you never done something like this?"

I shook my head, "Not counting your birthday, I haven't …" I balled up the empty bag of fries and sat it down on the floor below me, "But … I suppose it's okay."

"…Well, good. Glad I could do something new for you for a change." Axel cracked a grin, "Tell me, Roxas. Do you like the roar of my engine?"

"You're an idiot." I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest and closing my eyes, "Just shut up and drive."

"Okay, Rihanna. Are you looking for a driver who's qualified? Cause, you know ... I think that I'm the one and I'll step into your ride."

I opened my eyes to look at him and didn't say anything. His grin had decreased a bit in the aftermath of my silence, but I could still see the smile on his face. I raised an eyebrow in his direction and Axel sighed languidly.

"…Joking aside, I'm glad you came out here with us." Axel began, "It's … nice having someone else around besides Demyx and Zexion all the time. Things can get to be repetitive at times."

"Hm?"

"Well, you know…" He sighed, running his hands along the wheel, "The last seven years have been the same process over and over again… write, record, write, record. Release an album. Release a number of singles. Videos, promotion, shows, television. Oh, look, another tour. I guess it's time to spend another three or four stressful months on the road. Time to pack up anything stable you've tried to establish for yourself when you weren't working and hope that it doesn't fall apart while you're gone."

"…Are you saying you don't want this anymore?"

"Not in the least, Rox, I love what I do. Just … sometimes you want a break every now and then. But, then you've got people who depend on you to do things for them, you know? And me, well, I don't really care about pushing myself for other people … but Zexion and Demyx depend on me a lot. I don't have it in me to let them down." He fiddled with the radio station, "There is a certain rush in all of this though. Especially when you're on the road and all you can think about is that you're about to go play to a sold out crowd of nearly ten thousand people. And the after parties … those are the best way to get all your energy out. Party all night, sleep all morning, wake up the next night and you're ready to play your next show."

"Sounds like some lifestyle." I replied, dryly.

"It fits for now." Axel shrugged, nonchalantly, "Might have to change a few things now because of a certain endearing midget I've acquired recently."

I resisted the urge to punch Axel in his shoulder due to the fact that he was driving, "And you're a freakishly tall idiot."

"Oooooh, ouch. Haven't heard that one before. I thought you were more original than that, Roxas." He laughed gingerly, "But, going back to what we were talking about before … it just gets to you sometimes. Never feels like there's really any time to do much of anything..."

"Hm," I raised my eyes to the darkness before us. There was no moon tonight. "…Do you think they're wondering where we are?"

Axel shrugged, "Who? Demyx and Zexion? Nope, Demyx is probably talking Zexion to death right now. Or they're sleeping or something." He answered, "We're good for tonight. They won't even notice that we're gone."

"Hm."

"Why? You worried about something?"

I turned to look at Axel, but I didn't answer just yet. His face was illuminated by the glowing numbers on the dashboard, and his eyes were an eerie shade of sea green in their dim light. He was leaning back in his chair, eyes focused on the road and one hand on the wheel. His other arm was propped up along the edge of the door.

"Rox?"

"There's no moon tonight." I replied, glancing back at the darkened sky once again.

"Huh?" Axel leaned forward a bit and then relaxed, "Didn't really notice that…"

"Let's go somewhere else."

"And just where am I going to go, Rox?"

I nodded toward our right, "Get off at this exit right here."

Axel glanced over his shoulder quickly and jetted across the highway to the exit ramp just before we missed it. He cursed under his breath as we were met with a winding road and had to decelerate before we went crashing into the railing on the side of the road. When we neared the end of the exit ramp, we came to a red light, furthering Axel's abrupt stop in speed. The car jerked violently when we came to a stop and I shrugged when he turned my way.

"You shouldn't have been driving so fast, Mr. Roaring Engine."

"Shut up, Roxas."

We passed the light we had stopped at and were off down the road once again. Axel seemed to be looking for something with the way he kept glancing over his shoulder every now and then. I kept my view fixated on the moonless sky, watching the stars that passed overhead. I can't remember the last time I saw stars, they're damn near impossible to see in Manhattan.

"…Just where are we anyway?"

"Thought I saw something a little while back that said Bakersfield …" Axel replied, "…If I'm right, that's north of LA."

"Hm." I noted duly, "You can see the stars out here."

"Yeah, it's nice…"

We lapsed into silence again for a few more minutes. Axel glanced over his shoulder one last time before I noticed the car slowing down considerably. I turned in his direction and noticed he was putting the car into park and unbuckling his seatbelt. He nodded outside as he withdrew the key from the ignition and unlocked the doors.

"Come on."

I glanced out on my side of the car and frowned instantly. We were stopped next to a fenced area of some type of crop. I couldn't make out what it was in the dark. Axel was busy stretching when I got out of the car,"Out of all the places you choose to stop at, you pick a serial killer's favorite hangout spot."

"Charming, isn't it?" He laughed gingerly and walked around to the front of the car. He hoisted himself up onto the hood and turned around for me to come follow him.

Sighing, I did the same as he did and sat cross legged in the space next to him, "Why here?"

He shrugged, "Seemed like a good place to stop." I didn't even bother to question his choice as he leaned back on the hood of the car and sighed languidly, "Sky seems bigger tonight."

"How so?"

"Maybe it's the lack of moon." Axel shrugged, holding his arms up above him and making a triangle with his hands, "It just seems like it's looking to swallow something whole at any minute. Hey, Rox … you know lots of meaningless smart …intellectual crap, right?"

"…Meaningless?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow in irritation.

"Whatever, shit that typically people don't care or think about on a day to day basis. There, is that better?" He didn't wait for me to answer as he continued, "What are the odds of our entire galaxy being sucked up by a black hole?"

"How the hell should I know?"

Axel shrugged, "Like I said before, you typically know this type of stuff."

"Not everything." I replied, rolling my eyes at him.

"Most things." Axel answered, grinning at me. "Always poised to shoot down the poor hapless soul that decides to run his mouth off in your presence."

"Better to correct them before they have the chance to go off and embarrass themselves with their stupidity." I muttered.

"It's entertaining sometimes, though."

"Hm … maybe."

We lapsed into silence again as Axel started humming to himself. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my cell phone to check the time. I winced against the bright display before I pushed it back into my pocket again, "It's almost one …"

Axel turned to look up at me, "...Really?"

"We've been driving around for awhile." I shrugged, "Demyx and Zexion haven't contacted you have they?"

Axel shook his head, "I told you before that we'd be fine."

I took a moment to gather my thoughts and then looked up at the night sky, "I take it this is something that you do on a regular?"

"Only when I want to get away." Axel answered, looking away from me and closing his eyes, "Remember what I told you back on my birthday? I ran away on the night before our first show. After that, whenever I got bored … or just needed to get away from them for a little bit, I'd slink away when they weren't watching me."

"And…?"

"They don't think much of it." Axel said, "Why do you think I have my bike?"

"Cause you're a flashy moron with an insatiable ego?"

"Hmm, close." Axel laughed at my question and propped his head up behind his arms, "It was easier to get away on that, rather than taking a car out every time I wanted to go for a midnight drive or head off somewhere to be alone for awhile. Being on tour is usually a little bit different … during those times I usually just wander around whatever city or town we're in. But, when we're in New York, I always take the bike out for rides when I'm feeling like this."

"So this was your plan from the beginning?"

"Well … you mentioned that you wanted to get out … I thought a drive could do us both some good."

"I thought you liked to be alone when you did this sort of thing."

I saw Axel's shoulder hitch slightly then relax as he turned his eyes up at me, "…Consider yourself an exception to the rule."

"Mmm, I'm flattered."

"You should be." Axel pushed himself up into a sitting position shortly after and turned around to face me, "Is it one yet?"

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and nodded, "Yeah ..."

Axel sighed before sliding off the front of the car and stretching his arms out behind him. He glanced toward the sky for a moment and yawned loudly. Reaching a hand out toward me, I allowed him to pull me down off the hood of the car and to my feet. He scratched the back of his head before nodding off toward the car and smiling softly.

"Well …let's hit the road, Rox."