So this is another story taken from a Tumblr Prompt, and as such is an AU. Something that is important to note in this is that Roxas refers to siblings. His siblings in this are Ventus, Vanitas, and Sora. Ventus and Vanitas are 'the twins' that are referred to in this, and then Sora is tragically not mentioned at all.
Also, funnily enough, this was supposed to be something that was sort of AkuRoku, but it didn't quite turn out the way it was intended. Funny how those things work out, huh?
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.
Candy Coated Craving
Roxas just wanted a candy bar. Was that too much to ask?
Roxas walked out into the All-Commons area of the dorm hall, and, instead of just walking away like he should have, approached the metaphorical train wreck in the corner.
He had originally gone out to the All-Commons for the vending machine. Roxas had had been overwhelmed with an intense craving for sugar and wandered out in order to satisfy said craving. Looking back, Roxas really wished he hadn't skipped dinner that night, because that was part of what had driven the candy craving in the first place.
But anyway, the train wreck in the corner of the All-Commons. Again, Roxas really should have avoided it, but curiosity was notorious within his family to beat them up and drive them to do things they shouldn't. Which actually explained why twins got in trouble so much for underage drinking, but Roxas' older brothers were not the topic of conversation at the moment. And that damned unquenchable thirst of curiosity was what drove him to the vending machine in the corner. (Of course, Vanitas would have said that it was something else that drove him to the vending machine in the corner but, again, Roxas was adamantly not considering his brothers.)
It was a redhead, sitting next to the vending machine. Now, there were two things to note about that statement. First, when Roxas said redhead, he meant redhead, as in fire engine red or thereabouts in color. Second, when Roxas said sitting next to the vending machine, he meant that the guy was pressed up against it to the point where he couldn't see the guy's right arm.
Actually, now that Roxas thought about it, he couldn't see the guy's shoulder either.
"Um," Roxas said eloquently. Watching the scene, the guy was slamming himself against the vending machine. That probably wasn't a good thing. For the guy or the machine. "Is everything okay?"
"Wha-?" The guy half-turned his head, looking over the shoulder that hadn't, as Roxas was slowly realizing, vanished into the vending machine at his side. He spied a grass green eye and a black tattoo under it before the guy turned back away from him. "Yeah," he slammed his side against the machine again. "Just peachy."
"Okay…" Roxas cautiously wandered around to the other side of the guy, and saw that, indeed, his hand (and most likely his entire arm) was stuck in the vending machine. He resisted the urge to sigh. He was never going to get his candy now. Still, let it never be said that he didn't show concern for others. "Are you sure about that?"
"Of course," He answered indignantly, leaning away from the machine this time, as if that would pull his arm free. Roxas crouched down in front of the other guy so he wouldn't feel as if he were talking down to him.
"Doesn't really," Roxas commented, and gestured toward his own right shoulder. "Ya know, look it."
"Trust me," The guy insisted, grunting as he continued his attempts of forcibly pulling is arm out. "I have everything- ow -completely under- ow -control."
"Right," Roxas said, drawing out the vowel longer than strictly necessary. "And how exactly is that working for you?"
"Just swell," The guy growled, before letting loose some impressive profanity as he was still unsuccessful in freeing his hand. "Look, kid, was there something you wanted or do you just enjoy pestering people?"
"My name isn't 'kid'," That was what offended Roxas more so than the guy's venomous tone. He got called 'kid' enough by Vanitas, he didn't need it from anyone who wasn't family. "It's Roxas. And sorry for trying to show some human decency, sheesh."
"Right, and my name's Axel." The guy rolled his eyes. "Got it memorized?" Roxas had the feeling that that was a tacky catchy phrase he used all the time, but before he had the chance to call the guy- Axel -out on it, he had continued speaking. "So, whaddaya want?"
"Well, I had wanted a candy bar," Roxas snarked back, a habit bred from dealing with older siblings who asked the same useless questions as this guy Axel was. "But from the looks of things, that'd be a bit of a trial."
"Oh, by all means," Axel raised one hand in a gesture that was better suited for two, "Don't let me stop you." He grinned, a cat-like thing that made Roxas want to take a step back. "In fact, it would probably help my case." Roxas sighed, and stood up, stepping around to Axel's other side. He probably wasn't going to get out of it, so it was better to acquiesce now, than prolong the suffering.
Roxas fished the crumpled dollar bill out of his pocket, resolutely ignoring Axel, who had craned his head to look up over his shoulder at him. He did his best to flatten the bill out, and fed it into the machine. Punching the number in, Roxas did his best to look anywhere but Axel. He trained his eyes on the glass of the machine, and kept his eyes above Axel's reflection.
"Snickers, huh?" Roxas' eyes flickered down toward Axel's reflection, which showed glittering green eyes that held mischievousness in their depths. "Good choice." Roxas didn't refrain himself from rolling his eyes, but still did not look down at Axel. He focused on the row that held the Snickers- E34 -and resolved to just get the candy bar and retreat back to his dorm room. Axel quite obviously did not want his help.
Roxas followed the Snickers bar's progression along the track, and watched it start its fall down to the bottom. Before the candy bar made it all the way to the bottom, Axel's hand snatched it out of the air.
"Hey!" Roxas scowled, looking down at Axel, who was giving him an impish look. "I paid for that."
"Ah, but alas," Axel said. "I paid for mine, and did I get it? No, I did not."
"That does not justify stealing mine!" Really, Roxas had enough of that shit back home with his siblings.
"Sheesh, cool it, Roxas," Axel hummed, looking full of himself, and Roxas glared. "Relax. It was just a joke." Roxas snorted.
"At least I wasn't dumb enough to shove my hand into a vending machine after a candy bar," Axel humored Roxas with a wince.
"Ow, that hurts Roxas, that really hurts." He was smiling, and Roxas had the sudden urge to just turn around and leave. Which, predictably, Roxas ignored.
"Here Roxas," His eyes glittered in a way that reminded Roxas of the twins when they were up to no good. "Have a Snickers. You're not you when you're hungry."
And that, that, that bastard just pulled his hand out of the vending machine like it was no big deal, holding Roxas' candy bar. Granted, looking back, Roxas probably overreacted, but honestly his response was quite kneejerk.
Roxas punched Axel in the face. He didn't really regret it, but he didn't stay to relish the agony he put the other male in as he dropped the candy bar in favor of cradling his face, whining something about his nose. Ignoring it, Roxas scooped up the candy bar on the floor, and scurried back to his dorm room.
The next time that Roxas came out into the All-Commons area of the dorm and saw a guy up to his shoulder in the vending machine, he did what he should have done the first time.
He turned away, and walked straight back to his dorm room, no questions asked.