Roxas sat and listened to his best friend leave a rather long message on his voicemail. It sounded urgent, so Roxas didn't automatically delete the message and call Axel back. Roxas got himself comfortable on the couch listening to what Axel had to say.
"Roxas… For the record, I would miss you.
Thinking aloud, maybe its better you didn't pick up your phone. I'm not so sure I want to know what you're thinking in the event I get rejected.
You know I more or less talk about what I know, some exaggeration and sarcasm included, and I know any of this might actually backfire and bite me in the butt because I wear my emotions on my sleeve. I want that to change, but some things are just ingrained in one's physical and mental being that it's hard to reprogram.
So anyways…" Axel chuckled. "Onto my original reason why I called you.
Sometimes I wonder if we'd be okay in public…
I wonder what your friends would say if they saw us together. Seifer, Hayner, Pence, Olette…
I wonder what everyone else on my end would say… Though in this case, they probably already know. I'm sure I'll get over it…
I just want you to know I'm ready to make this public when you are. On your command I'll give it the go. If you don't, then I'll keep it to myself as per usual.
Just tell me what is on your mind. I could care less about ignorance being bliss. I want you to… No, I want you. You are what I want and if you're not ready then I'll wait until you're ready. If you're never ready, then I'll be waiting a while for you. Remember pal, as much as it's your line, I'll be the one who is actually doing the waiting in the next life…
Yours truly, Axel."
Roxas wasn't sure how to respond to this message. He looked at his phone a moment, then dialed Axel's number. "Axel, its Roxas. I just got your message."
"Roxas, its Axel.
Thought we planned it out that we wouldn't play tag anymore…
I wonder where you are.
Miss you.
Later."
Roxas listened to this lonely-toned message and immediately called Axel back.
"Axel? Nope, only your machine. Call me."
"I have to tell you something Roxas. I don't know how you'll take to the news. Call me."
Roxas, as usual, called his best friend, who never seems to respond to an incoming call.
"Got your message.
I'm bracing myself for the news.
Call me back."
"Simply amazing Roxas. I can't ever get a hold of you.
Because I know you'll want to know eventually, here's the news.
I…. I'm…"
Roxas listened as the message cut out. "I'm… I'm what Axel!?" He called Axel back, but received a busy signal.
"…I'm seeing someone." Axel continued.
"I went to a party. You obviously weren't there.
Someone asked if I wanted to come with them after the party. I said yes and they led me to this other room.
As I sat next to them on the step that went up to the other room, they leaned in and kissed me on the lips.
The place was all too familiar, though the person, I knew them, but the situation I didn't.
When they kissed me, it was like kissing someone for the first time –cautious and scared. Their lips were soft… It made me miss yours.
After we kissed, they mentioned how they were going to see if these other people would come with us. I didn't object. For some reason I could see an awkward threesome come on…
Figured I'd tell you pal.
You of all people should know.
You make me feel… Like I have a heart…
I think it's because I love you.
And I don't mean as a friend. Sure, I love you as a brother. But… This is more.
I've never felt this way before.
No one would miss you? I… I would miss you. I do miss you.
Roxas, I love you."
Roxas kept trying to call Axel, though his line remained busy for the entire night.
"Roxas, I haven't heard from you in a while. Phone tag too boring? Call me."
"Axel, Your message cut out. I didn't get to hear the big news. What's up? Call me."
"Roxas?"
"Axel?"
"Finally."
"Yeah. So what was the big news?" Roxas questioned.
"What part cut out?"
"You said that there was something you wanted to tell me. Then you said you're… something… You said specifically, 'I… I'm…' and then the message cut out."
"Oh." Axel realized he nearly had a clean slate. Should he lie or tell the truth to his best friend. "I thought… I mean… I was… With someone else."
Silence came over their phone call.
"Though before anything happened, I woke up." Axel explained.
"It's not that big of news."
"I know. Thought I'd tell you though. Maybe you could… decode it or something."
"Yeah, no."
They laughed at the thought.
"Well, I'm out." Axel finally said interrupting the laughter.
"Ok."
"See you in the next life."
"Yeah, I'll be waiting." Roxas hung up.
"Silly. Just because you have a next life…" Axel mumbled hanging up the phone after a moment of silence.
"Babe, you ready?" A voice called out in the distance from Axel's room.
"Yeah." Axel turned towards the voice. "Let's go to the party."
Axel left his room and watched the phone as he dimmed the light expecting it to ring. It didn't. "Let's go have some fun."
There was disappointment in Axel's voice, though no one recognized it.
"Wish you were here Roxas…"