Play the Game

by Tea'nThoughts

Axel wasn't looking for commitment when he spied Roxas. It's unlikely that anyone on a Monday morning is looking for love served with cold coffee and scrambled eggs. But there was Roxas. Why change? 'Cause it sucks to be alone. AU. M for language.

Preamble: I happen to like Queen quite a bit and to escape the four Christmas CDs that my family owns (I swear we've had those CDs for 10 years now and never any new ones) I've popped Queen into our CD players whenever I've had the chance. Everyone seems to know at least one Queen song, even if they don't know it's Queen, so why not have a Queen Christmas? Play the Game isn't my most favourite song...I think Who Wants to Live Forever or Killer Queen is. Anyway...This attempt at a oneshot isn't exactly based on the song, just kind of background music in my head. Listen to whatever you want or just read in silence. Most importantly enjoy! Review for the parts you liked, didn't like or anything that just looks sloppy. Also if you have any questions about clarification don't hesitate to send me a message.

Theme of the day: Technology and I have a love-hate relationship. We love to hate.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. What a shame but at least they exist.

---

Play the Game

---

"Alright, Demyx. It's your turn."

"I just went! You take my place."

"Your last one sucked. A lot. Go again."

"You butt out of it Axel," Demyx tried to say threateningly but when Axel smirked, Demyx laughed. He looked around the diner, searching for a victim. When his gaze fell on an elderly couple conversing over breakfast and steaming coffee he pointed discreetly at them, making Axel, Larxene and Zexion turn their interest to the couple too. The group took a moment to snicker and Axel slouched in the red, vinyl booth while Demyx leaned forward in concentration.

"What's the old man saying?" Larxene asked.

Demyx's brows furrowed and when the old man opened him mouth to speak to his wife, Demyx provided his own interpretation.

"'This coffee's hot, just like you babe.'"

"Lame," Larxene said.

"Screw you."

"And happy fucking Monday to you all," Axel butted in before Larxene had the chance to take offense.

Axel surveyed the elderly couple like a cat stalking its prey. After a moment's contemplation, Axel said, "Dem work with me on this one. I think what they're really sayin' is how good last night was for them," Axel waited a moment until the old man forked a sausage and used the fork to accentuate the point he was making to his wife. "'This breakfast makes me want last night's midnight snack, if you know what I mean.'"

Demyx was uncertain at first but, in a high pitched voice crackled with mock old age, he spoke for the old lady, who sipped coyly at her coffee. "'Oh Harold, you made me feel like we were back in the 1920s. You shouldn't talk this way before we go to church.'"

"'Oh babe, the minister wouldn't mind. He's always preachin' about coming together."

"'Oh Harold! You do care. These past 80 years have been good for you too.'"

"'Yeah. Mainly 'cause I've been getting blinder and deafer.'"

The group of friends listening to Axel and Demyx chuckled appreciatively at how well Axel and Demyx, though the laughs grew stronger when Axel spoke, played the game. Immature and crude this game was and when certain members got playing, it was downright dirty. Still, it was an amusing way to start the day.

Axel shoved Demyx out of the booth, much to Demyx's protest, and stood before his friends, fishing his wallet out of his pocket. "I got this today."

Everyone mumbled their thanks and Axel went up to the register to pay for their table's breakfast. In the corner of his mind his heard diner noises such as the clatter of cheap, white plates, idle morning chatter and the ring of the small bell as people walked in the door. Everything around him from the plates to the door was inconsequential until he returned to the table and noticed his idiot friends were still goofing off but, with a new target. The ringing of the door's bell had sung in a group of three now seated at the table on the far side from Axel.

"You idiots still at that?" Axel asked, looking at his friends. Demyx was blushing and his lips were an angry pout while Larxene laughed.

"And Dem still sucks but, we all knew that anyway," Larxene goaded.

Demyx aimed a kick at Larxene under the table but hit Zexion instead. Demyx hastily apologized when Zexion grunted in pain.

Larxene caught Axel's amused grin and nodded her head over to the group of three. "What do think they're saying?"

Axel nonchalantly looked over the two girls, one blonde, one with crimped long brown hair, and both talking far too enthusiastically for an early Monday morning. If his eyes swept swiftly over the girl's, his vivid green gaze came to a screeching halt over the boy who was with them. Blonde and true blue eyes. Not to mention beyond the definition of cute.

"The gals are probably comparing bra sizes," Axel said offhandedly but his eyes never wavered from the boy. "But I'm almost certain – scratch that – I am absolutely, 110% certain the guy just said 'I want in Axel's pants.'"

"You sure you woke up this morning, Axel?" Demyx asked with a chuckle.

---

Roxas sat with Olette and Naminé, staring into his coffee cup and seeing his own bland eyes reflected in the dark brew. It was the first official day of summer break but, he didn't feel excited. While his friends were already eagerly chatting about where they'd be going and what they'd be doing next year, Roxas had no clue. Since late winter when everyone was deciding what they'd be doing after graduating, Roxas had felt a dark weight in his chest. He didn't know what he wanted but, he knew he wanted change. Things had just felt off for a long time.

Loud laughter of many voices broke both the girls' babble and Roxas' thought bubble. They looked over to a group of joking, young people occupying a booth in the far corner. The source of the laugher seemed to be a redheaded, young man with eyes so green they stood out to Roxas, who was more than 30ft away. Roxas stared at those eyes like they were a light in the dark and his head emptied at the wonder of them. He blushed when he realized that the reason why he could see them so well was because they were travelling a straight path to his own blue eyes. Roxas looked away feeling awkward and self-conscious. The guy looked pretty tough and most people thought staring was rude. He went back to looking at his own eyes in his coffee.

"Roxas, I think your coffee's getting cold," Olette said with a light chuckle.

"R-right," Roxas said, somewhat shaken from his reverie. After a couple sips he slipped back out of reality, this time staring out the window and watching a handful of people make their way in the early light.

Olette and Naminé shared a look but tried to carry on their light conversation about beach plans.

"What do you think Roxas?" Olette asked, "Want to come with the gang to the beach?"

"Sure," Roxas tried to say cheerily but, his smile and tone seemed to flap lamely on the table like a dying bird.

The girls shared another look, which Roxas noticed this time, and looked down at his lap feeling guilty.

"Roxas, you seem...upset," Naminé said sadly, "Or unhappy."

"I..." How can I put words to this...feeling?

"Not only that but, you've been this way for a long time," Olette said, equally as worried but her eyes lightened a little when she teased, "A long long time. What's up?"

"It's...stupid really," Roxas said, although originally the words came from his best friend Hayner. Hayner hadn't meant it to stick but rather to be something to shake Roxas from his depression.

"I don't know..." Olette said.

"It's not stupid if it makes you feel so down for so long," Naminé said with a voice infected with Roxas' sorrow, making him feel even guiltier. "Maybe we can help."

"It's just..." Roxas tried looking the girls in the eye but, their worry and his feelings of guilt forced his gaze to flicker from the table top to the window to his hands. "It's that I feel like things are off."

"Off? Off how?" Olette asked.

"Like, people are going on but I'm not."

"Like you're being forgotten?" Naminé asked.

"Kinda, but it's nobody's fault but my own. You know," Roxas tried to unbury the pride he had for his friends' accomplishments from under his feelings of sterility. "Pence and Hayner are going off to college, Olette, you're going off to medical school and Naminé, you're an amazing artist. I'm happy that you decided to stick with graphics, you know, doing what you love. That's important, I guess but I..."

"You're not doing what you love," Naminé said sadly.

"I don't know what I'd like to do, so I can't decide where to go."

"You know, you don't have to go to school to have a good life, Roxas," Olette said while giving him a smile and receiving a tentative one in return. She leaned forward and lightly flicked his nose, "We're still going to be your friends even if you decide to not go for more schooling. That's not what's important to us."

"Yeah, your brains aren't what made us your friends."

The group of three looked around to see who had ruined the consoling moment. Hayner and Pence stood smirking, while the girls looked faintly annoyed. Roxas felt a spark of happiness.

"We're boarding the train in a couple hours to head to the beach. Who's coming?" Pence asked.

"Me for sure," Olette said, raising her hand excitedly. "Someone's got to make sure you come back in one piece."

"I will too," Naminé said sweetly.

All eyes turned to Roxas who put a hand in the back of his hair and smiled sheepishly.

"Roxas-" Hayner began sternly but Olette cut him off.

"If you're not feeling up to it then don't feel like you have to come. The summer has more days in it than today. Take the time today to think about what you do want to do."

Olette lead Pence and Hayner out of the diner without much complaint from either boy. Naminé gave Roxas an encouraging smile before she got up and left.

On her way out, she happened to glimpse a newspaper at the table with the raucous group. She steeled herself and walked up to their table determinedly, though her insecurity stilled showed in the nervous tremor of her voice.

"Excuse me," she said sweetly to the table at large. All eyes turned to her and the conversation died. Naminé swallowed nervously but smiled none the less. "May I borrow your paper? Or even just one section..."

"Sure, babe," the intimidating man with red, flaring hair and tattoos said. He licked his finger and thumbed through the paper. "What part did ya want?"

A moment later, Naminé returned, still blushing from her brush with the man from the other table but, triumphant with a small section of the paper. She slid it over to Roxas, who looked up, taken aback from his intense staring contest with his reflection in his coffee.

"Naminé, weren't you-"

"You might not be sure where you're going or how things will turn out but, maybe a job, even a simple one, could help you find your way," she said and giggled. "Or even make a little money in the meantime."

She said goodbye again and left Roxas to flip through the job listings.

---

The guys stood up and prepared to leave for their various jobs and appointments, except for Axel who stretched languidly in the booth.

"Life is just a slice of cake for you isn't it?" Larxene snorted as Axel set his feet up on the seats where Larxene and Zexion had been sitting across from him. He also stretched his arms across the top of the seat, effectively taking up the entire booth.

"I paid for your meal," Axel reminded Larxene.

"Do you have work today?" Demyx asked.

"Yeah, but not for a while. Don't worry about me, I'll find some way to amuse myself," Axel spied Roxas looking over the newspaper section. He smirked and straightened up. "I think I'd like my paper back."

---

Roxas had looked over the job listings half-heartedly. He agreed with Naminé that a job would be a good thing to have. If he worked solidly for a year maybe he'd have enough to move out. He was still easily distracted from his reading. When the group of laughing guys stood to leave he couldn't help glancing at the guy with green eyes, trying to catch a peek of that vivid colour. Again he looked away hurriedly when the guy seemed to turn his head Roxas' way. The last thing Roxas needed was to get on the wrong side of a tall guy whose faraway presence screamed attitude. Fire may be captivating but it's not a good idea to screw with it, especially when Roxas was feeling particularly dried out.

Roxas sat at his table alone, hand lying limply over the paper and gaze fixed on the window. The day was warm but with overcast skies, so when the sun's light was blocked by a dense cloud Roxas was able to see his absent minded eyes in the glass. He also saw a pair of vivid green ones glinting amusedly in the pane a hell of a lot closer than they'd been before.

Roxas tensed, his fingers curling slightly over the paper and his eyes no longer absent from the world. He turned around a little uncertain, a little curious when the guy spoke.

"So the paper was for you?" the guy asked.

"Yeah, I was..." Roxas said a little slowly, lifting the paper up with a confused look on his face.

"You sent that little blonde over to a table full of rowdy guys to fetch you a paper?" he asked, his lips curling at the corners.

"I didn't send Naminé – she just-"

The guy whistled and winked at Roxas. "You sure know how to make your girl work."

Roxas wasn't sure what to say.

"She's not my girlfriend," was the only thing that sprung to his mind.

"No?"

Roxas did a mental double take. There was more to the way the guy said 'no' than just plain attitude. Roxas, though he didn't know the guy, thought that he'd just seen a flash of something deeper. A flash in the guy's eyes and voice that had very much to do with personal interest. Roxas had felt tossed in the air when the guy slunk up behind him and started the conversation but, for the first time now, he felt like his feet had found a ledge. He'd also felt a shock, a type of energy he hadn't felt for a while. Of course that was probably just the surprise of the guy slinking up behind him...

"No," Roxas laughed, loosening up a bit. "She's a good friend who cares way too much."

The guy grinned, a keen look shining in his eyes and for some reason, Roxas couldn't help smiling with him.

"So, uh, thanks for the paper. Did you come to get it back?" Roxas asked.

"Nah, I have a job and I'll be going there today but," the guy pulled out the chair opposite to Roxas and got comfy by crossing his long legs on a nearby chair. "But, like you, my friends ditched me. Sucks to be alone, don't it?"

Go ahead, make yourself comfy, Roxas thought sarcastically but dared not say. Instead he just grinned back. "Yeah, it does."

"Well then, let's not be silly and be all lonesome. It's Axel," he said.

"Roxas."

"Roxas," Axel tested the name.

Axel had decided from across the room that Roxas was good looking and therefore doable. What he now realized up close, was that Roxas didn't seem like the type of guy he could do that to. He's too...cute Axel thought. It'd been a long time since he'd tried a relationship and for good reason. He had two options. Leave or follow this blonde, blue-eyed boy further.

Axel was just about to get up and say he'd better stop goofing around and get ready for work when he caught Roxas staring intently at him for a moment before he looked down at the paper.

"So, uh, Axel, any suggestions for the unemployed?"

Fuck, Axel chided inwardly, I'm way too tough to fall for cuteness.

Axel slid the paper out from under Roxas' hand, putting a hand to his chin and hmming in mock pensiveness. He also pretended to look over Roxas with a scrutinizing eye while in all actuality he just wanted to make sure Roxas was worth his effort. Axel's gaze made Roxas sit a little straighter and try and meet Axel's look coolly.

"Are you the type who'd want to flip burgers and have customers up your ass every minute?" Axel asked.

"No, not really."

"Okay, Mickey D's is out," Axel said and looked through the list again. "Know much about cars?"

"Uh, no."

"How 'bout roofs?"

"No..."

"Babies?"

"Not really," Roxas admitted solemnly. With each question he felt more and more inadequate and inexperienced. The weight that had dissipated from his chest when Axel sat down began gathering again. He tried not to look upset with himself, not wanting to scare Axel off or make him think he was some weak kid.

Axel noticed the change in Roxas' attitude so he tried a different tactic.

"Give me somethin' to work with. Come on, what do you do?"

Roxas heard the words from his earlier conversation with Olette and Naminé in his head. I don't know what I'd like to do. "Uh...well..."

While Roxas struggled, Axel looked down at the job listings earnestly this time. One listing caught Axel's eye at first glance and he debated whether to suggest it or not. Hell, why not?

"How 'bout this? I think it'd suit you well," Axel slid the paper under Roxas' downcast face and pointed a finger to the listing he wanted Roxas to see.

"A pet store?" Roxas mused. The hours didn't sound bad and not much experience was required. It didn't sound bad.

"Sure, why not? You seem like the type who'd get along well with furry creatures."

At that comment Roxas lost all desire to work in the pet store. Is that what he thinks? That I can't handle tough work? That I should be working with little, old ladies who get their love from cats? A very small voice in his mind asked why should he care what a stranger thought but, it was dwarfed by the flame of indignation and scorn for his feelings of unworthiness. Roxas' eyes flickered to an ad to the left and a small grin graced his face.

"It sounds good, for a sixteen year old girl, but what about this?" Roxas pointed to the ad he'd spotted.

Axel had been giving Roxas an amused look just before Roxas shoved the paper back under his nose. Axel smiled.

"You want to work at a nightclub?"

"Sure. It says not much experience is needed."

"Have you ever been to this club?"

Roxas hesitated. "Not really but, I've been to others."

Axel laughed.

"What? You think I can't do it?"

"Nah, I said nothing like that. Okay, okay. Let's get you an interview since you aren't a sixteen year old girl," Axel leaned back in his chair again. "I hope they'll take a seventeen year old one."

Roxas called the number of the club and set up an interview with the owner for three days later. The whole time he was on the phone with the owner Axel was watching him with an intrigued look. Roxas wasn't sure whether to be flattered or scared for his safety. True Axel had been nothing but helpful however, he seemed to have an attitude. Roxas would hate to get on his wrong side. He gave the impression that he didn't take other people's crap and wouldn't hold back when crossed.

Axel really did have to go get ready for work so, with a sigh he took his feet off the other chair and stood up.

"Congratulations, Roxas. You've got yourself an interview."

"Yeah, thanks for the help."

"No biggie. Anyway..." Axel looked at the door, not quite sure what he truly wanted to say to Roxas and not altogether sure he liked the idea of leaving him.

Since getting the interview and chatting with Axel, Roxas was feeling more like his old self, maybe even a bit better than his old self. In a brazen decision, Roxas stopped a waitress who was passing by and asked to borrow her pen for a moment. Roxas quickly scribbled his name and number on the job listings paper, gave the pen back to the waitress and handed the newspaper to Axel.

Axel looked at the number and looked back at Roxas. Roxas just shrugged.

"If you want to know how things work out. With the interview, I mean."

---

That evening when Axel was done work, he headed on over to the Oblivion nightclub. It was still early so nobody was there except for Demyx and his band.

"Hey Axel," Demyx said a little surprised to see him there so early. "What's up?"

"Nothing, just got a tiny favour to ask."

---

He didn't know why he'd kept it. The moment Axel had stepped in his apartment's door and flopped on his couch a couple days ago, he'd punched Roxas' number into his phone's contact list. There was no point in keeping the newspaper except for the fact that it had Roxas' name scrawled personally on it. There was no difference between the number on the paper and the number on his cell's screen. What was even more, he didn't really need to call to know the outcome. He'd talked to Demyx who played three times a week at the club Roxas applied to and the guitarist agreed, though with a look that said 'you'd go this far for a little action', to push Roxas' name through. So why bother calling? The only slight obligation to the young blonde he had was to help him find a job to apply to and he'd gone above that obligation already.

Roxas, Axel read off the name off the paper. Somehow the gentle, haphazard curves of Roxas' writing style conjured the light of his blue eyes in Axel's mind. What does this shit even mean? Axel snorted.

Axel extended his legs on his couch, took a look at Roxas' name written on the paper and pressed the button on his phone to call him.

"Hello?" Roxas' voice asked on the other end.

"Hi there Roxas, this is your spiritual guide calling. Just wanted to know how the big interview went?"

"Axel," Roxas laughed his name and Axel felt the energy of it run the course of his bloodstream. "You've got a funny way of starting a conversation. The interview went great and they called me back an hour ago."

"So, employed or unemployed?"

"Employed."

"Congrats, you're officially as chained as me. I hope you're goddamn proud."

"Yeah, I am. And grateful to my spiritual guide."

Roxas shifted uneasily on his bed, playing with the rings on his fingers. Did it sound like I was flirting? Roxas wondered nervously. In a way he hadn't exactly meant to but...if it was well received then...

Did he just fucking flirt with me? Axel wondered, a little taken aback. On his end, Axel subconsciously picked up the paper and laid it on his lap, playing with the corners and staring at the far wall.

With a rare soft smile, Axel replied, "That's what I'm here for."

"Awesome," Roxas breathed with the breath he'd been holding in. He took another tentative step and said, "Hey, I know I haven't started work yet but, I'd like to repay you. I-if you're not too busy saving lives, would you have a couple hours free for lunch or dinner or..."

Later, after Axel hung up the phone and realized he'd been scrunching up the corner of paper, and after he scornfully tossed the paper on the floor, he'd chalk his 'yes' up to being carried away by Roxas' pathetic cuteness.

---

Roxas was almost late for dinner with Axel because he'd spent almost half an hour trying to smooth his hair down but, it remained standing defiantly. The small voice in his head said why should it matter how you look? You never said this was a date, besides, you don't even know if Axel swings that way...

Anyway, he tried not to think on that issue too much. Just thinking about Axel and his quirky nature made the hollowness and uncertainty shrink.

Roxas met Axel just outside The Borough, a small restaurant that wasn't as expensive as Radiant Garden and had a reputation for being cozy and serving seemingly magical dishes. Axel said he chose the place because they made the best fries.

Once seated at their table and their orders were taken, Roxas became anxious that he and Axel might not have much to talk about. Maybe all Axel really wanted out of this was a free meal and no furthering of any sort of relationship. Relationship. Roxas' mind didn't seem to be able to register that word with Axel. He just didn't seem like the type who would want something steady. Even his spiky red hair appeared to strain away from him. Roxas ruffled his hair and poked at his cutlery nervously while Axel surveyed him with an amused smirk.

"You feeling icky?" Axel asked him as he leaned his head on one elbow.

Icky? "No, just thinking," Roxas smiled warmly, "Just thought I should say thanks again for your help."

"You talk like I saved your life or something," Axel said nonchalantly, although he felt as nervous as Roxas. The difference in their anxieties was Roxas wanted to know if Axel felt any inclination towards him while Axel was wary of where his own inclination might lead him.

"'Saved' is a little strong but, yeah, something like that," Roxas admitted.

"Is that so?" Axel asked a little unbelieving.

"Well, yeah. You might not know me that well but, I think it was obvious I wasn't exactly...happy."

"Everyone gets down sometimes. You've gotten stop beating yourself up over it," Axel paused, not entirely trusting the situation. "You don't deserve it."

"Really?"

"Really, really."

There was a tight silence between them. Both seemed to sense that this was the breaking point of something. If they burst past this wall they would likely no longer be just acquaintances, they'd be setting new borders for friendship and could never rebuild the wall even with perfectly squared ignorance. For Axel this territory was tricky; he didn't exactly trust just anybody and if he was being perfectly honest, when he first saw Roxas he thought he'd only have to see his face for a night. It was the other way around for Roxas; he wanted to be around Axel but didn't think Axel wanted him around all that badly. If Roxas were to walk away now he doubted that Axel would miss him. The airy dinner chatter of the other restaurant goers didn't seem strong enough to pierce their heavy, silent communication.

"So..."Axel began, sipping on his drink through his straw, "why were you feeling so down?"

"It's kinda hard to explain..." Roxas began, giving Axel a way out of actually hearing the story if he wanted. But Axel just continued to watch Roxas carefully. "Well, it's just that I felt like I wasn't going anywhere but, everyone else was. And everyone has something that they love doing but, I haven't even come close to finding what I want to do."

"You mean like a career?"

"Yeah, like that."

"Damn Roxas, you're only, what? Eighteen?"

"Nineteen."

"Big deal. I'm twenty and I haven't got a clue as to where I'll be three years from now. That doesn't mean I don't have goals but, I don't feel like I need to get them accomplished in the next month. And even more importantly," Axel said leaning forward slightly and Roxas felt his spine bend toward Axel. "Don't race with people because you think running off somewhere fast will give you answers. About the only advice I can give you is to think things through, make sure you're doing what you really want to do and take with you your most important things. There, now my head's empty and we still have another half hour at least here. Now what are we gonna chat about, Rox?"

"Wow...where did you get that advice?" Roxas asked surprised at how much Axel had to offer.

"From life," Axel smiled. "It's funny. Life keeps screwing us over but we still cling to her. What the hell?"

"I think it's more the people that do the screwing. Screwing over I mean, not actual..." Roxas forced his mouth shut. Of course he had to come out with something that stupid after Axel had gone all philosophical. Dumbass...

Axel's smile turned into a loud laugh that gathered attention to their table.

"I think you've got the world pinned, Roxas," Axel said appreciatively and Roxas' blush lessened to be replaced by a happy smile.

---

They had left the restaurant laughing, with Axel leaning on Roxas for support. It didn't matter that Axel was at least a foot taller than him, the weight was nice and the feel of Axel's sides shaking and ribs expanding against his felt amazing. The only thing that pulled Roxas down was the uncertainty of how he should feel towards Axel and if Axel felt anything for him.

A week later he knew that at least he was Axel's friend. They'd met again for dinner and were getting together for lunch today. Axel said to meet him downtown and they'd go for lunch at a small coffee shop that Axel liked. Roxas was sitting on a bench wedged between the library and a pet shop. He'd been so excited to meet up with Axel that he'd left his house twenty minutes too early and was regretting it immensely as he sat under the beating summer sun. Realizing that he could wait inside either the library or pet shop where it was air-conditioned and still watch for Axel, he decided to move. He opted for the pet shop seeing as hamsters were a little more interesting to watch than books.

Roxas made his way inside, fully aware that when Axel saw him walk out of the shop that he had suggested Roxas apply to, he'd be bombarded with jeers and laughter. He didn't mind though. Axel's laughter was usually contagious. Roxas watched a couple angel fish swim lazily behind the glass walls of their tank.

"Huh, and I pegged you as a cat person," a familiar voice said from behind Roxas.

Roxas turned around, shocked to see Axel leaning his back on the register's counter.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Roxas asked.

"Working," Axel replied with a shrug of his shoulders. Then Axel smirked and raised his hands in a mock sign of surrender. "Alright, you caught me. You know my secret. I'm a sixteen year old girl."

Roxas couldn't help but laugh at Axel's ridiculous confession but, he also felt a little guilty and disappointed that he didn't take to job here.

"Oh the irony, right?" Axel said slyly.

---

Though the skies were overcast with clouds of heavy grey, the temperature was beyond bearable if you weren't swimming or in an air-conditioned place. The smog of the city hung like a thinner, paler imitation of the sky and only worsened the humidity. Since his lazy-ass landlord refused to fix the air in his apartment, Axel left with a loud slam of his door, hoping the landlord heard his anger through the bang. Down eight flights of stairs, because the elevator wasn't working, and finally out the doors, where the only difference between inside and out was the greater open space, Axel breathed. He'd been suffocated in his apartment. The subtle cracks in the walls irritably reminded him of himself and the limbo of grey light and static before the storm, reminded him of someone else, in some other time.

Axel avoided the bus and the busy downtown because he felt cagey and not in the mood to deal with people. With that realization, he couldn't think of anywhere cool to go where there wouldn't be people. The beach, malls, stores. All of them would be crowded.

It was a Saturday, so Demyx might be at The Oblivion practicing for his band's performance tonight...before noon? Yeah right, Axel answered his own silent question.

Still, he headed that way, his mind stirring up hostile feelings and only making him feel worse. If there had been people around that part of town, they probably would have risked being rundown by traffic than dare walk in Axel's wake. The only thing darker than the clouds were Axel's eyes.

He was in sight of The Oblivion when he saw the door open and young, blonde boy step outside. Axel spotted Roxas and all the resentment he felt became a stone casing around him. Today was not a good day to think about Roxas.

He had hoped that Roxas wouldn't notice him but, the blonde looked his way, waved and burst into a run to meet him.

Roxas reached him in ten seconds, his small chest bobbing under a thin shirt with the effort of breathing the thick air, as he stood looking up at Axel's slightly downcast face. Roxas was already damp with sweat from the two minutes he'd been outside but, as he grinned at Axel, none of the annoying heat factors seemed to bother him. What did worry him was the murk of something akin to pain, bitterness and suspicion rolled into the two neat, green eyes looking down at him.

"Hey!" Roxas greeted Axel with a beam.

"Hey," Axel said without enthusiasm.

When concern started to settle in Roxas' eyes, Axel made the effort to talk with him. "What are you doing around here? You couldn't possibly have been coming from work."

"Nah, just checking my schedule. How about you? Why are you around here?"

Axel shrugged and averted his gaze from Roxas'. "Just trying to stay cool."

"Outside when the weather's like this?" Roxas pondered and looked up at the sky. "Maybe if it rained it'd be cooler..."

"The air's broken in my apartment. Just about anywhere is cooler than a twenty floor building crammed with people."

"Are you...feeling alright?" Roxas asked uncertainly. He was sure something was wrong but, he had no idea what. He didn't like seeing Axel like this. It wasn't that Axel was being curt, everyone is allowed moody days after all. It was that there seemed to be a self torturing aspect to Axel's bad mood.

"It's just the damn heat," Axel lied and forced a casual smile to go along with the roll of his shoulders. "I was just gonna head home. Standing around in the heat only makes me feel more disgusting."

"Go back to where it's hotter?"

"That's the plan," Axel sighed impatiently.

"Well...if it's just the heat that's bothering you," Roxas said, a smile stealing his lips again, "do you want to come with me? I know a place that won't be too hot or crowded."

Well, I screwed myself here, Axel thought. A half-hearted smirk entered his expression as he said, "Lead the way."

Roxas led him closer to the downtown area and Axel felt warier and warier with each step. But, instead of taking the main streets, Roxas ducked down side streets and cut through alleyways. Every once in a while Roxas would look over his shoulder and their eyes would meet and Roxas would smile. At first Axel found the looking annoying. I'm right behind you, idiot, he wanted to snap. But after the second look, it didn't seem like Roxas was checking up on him it was more of a 'I like seeing you there'. Soon Axel couldn't help but roll his eyes and shake his head, at which point Roxas blushed and just kept walking.

Roxas came to the mouth of yet another alley way and waited for Axel, who was only five steps behind him. Then they turned to the left and found themselves at a small ice cream parlour on a relatively quiet street.

"It might be a hot day but, this place won't be half as busy as any of the other stores," Roxas said, motioning Axel forward.

"Why's that?" Axel asked. He looked around the place and only spotted four or five people hanging around the store. Some of the tension left his shoulders and he realized how soothing it felt. How long had he been squaring his shoulders for?

"They kind of have off the wall flavours," Roxas said. As he had told Axel that, a sudden thought hit him, one of uncertainty and stupidity.

"Uh...do want ice cream? Or do you like it? My treat," Roxas added quickly, hoping that the offer of it being free would make it slightly more appealing.

"In this heat I think I'd say yes to a bowl of frozen peas. You like off the wall stuff, Rox?" Axel asked, a sharp, sly look grinning on his face.

Roxas felt the question had a double-edged meaning but, at the return of some of Axel's spunk, Roxas grinned with him.

"It adds a bit of interest to my life."

Axel followed Roxas into the store, laughing knowingly as the sky rumbled.

Entering the store was a breath of relief. Though the turmoil still crackled in his mind, Axel felt his body sigh as though it was saying 'about time'. Roxas had his flavour picked out already but he waited for Axel to make his choice before ordering. Axel's gaze swept the display case, his eyebrows sometimes coming together in question of the flavour, or lips twitching as though he saw something amusing in the ice cream's names. Finally, Axel made his decision and they received their cones. Roxas tried fishing out his wallet with one hand while the other held his cone but, Axel tapped his arm and handed Roxas his cone.

"I got it," Axel said, drawing out his money and handing it to the cashier.

"I was going-"

"Don't worry about it," Axel said dismissively as he led Roxas to a table in the corner of the brightly painted store. Axel felt kind of bad that he'd been short with Roxas so thought paying for Roxas would be a simple apology.

There weren't many people inside so the level of chatter was only a couple notches above silence. For this Axel was grateful. He had enough voices from his memory bank talking, yelling and snarling in a cacophony akin to the jumbled noises of a busy city.

"Feel better?"

Axel, who had been brooding with a dark, thoughtful expression, started when Roxas spoke. The words 'why the hell are you asking' had been about to whip from his mouth but, Roxas' honest eyes made him think again.

"Yeah, it's not hot as hell in here. Good idea, Rox."

Roxas dipped his head in modesty but, also to hide the gloom that entered his face. The compliment sound forced and incredibly controlled, as though Axel was grappling with a monster of a bad mood inside his head. Maybe I can get him to talk if I talk.

Roxas raised his head with a determinedly bright smile.

"I used to come here all the time with my friends but, lately they've been busy either working or getting ready for school. I don't mind too much, I still see them so that's all that matters."

Axel watched the range of emotions cross Roxas' face like the sky on fast-forward. His blue eyes would shine with the thought of friendship, become overcast with loneliness and return to a dull warmth with realization. Axel didn't say much more than 'huh' but, he listened to Roxas, even when his eyes wandered, Roxas' voice stayed with him. For whatever reason, he didn't find Roxas' prattle annoying, more sidetracking and calming because he no longer had to think.

"I'm not as worried about the future anymore, either. I haven't left even left town and I'm having new experiences and meeting new people. Like you," Roxas said, pointing his cone at Axel. Axel nodded and Roxas blinked then looked down at his hands. "A-and Dem. Just a couple nights ago Dem had to call security over to help him detach this drunk chick from his guitar."

Roxas paused to laugh, thinking back to the girl whose mascara had streamed down her cheeks as she clung to Demyx, declaring her love for his music. As he explained the scene to Axel, the redhead's eyes flared with amusement for the first time that day. Though he hadn't been at the club, Axel found himself chuckling with Roxas.

"You should have seen Dem's face! He got pissed at me for laughing," Roxas admitted as he played with the napkin around his cone.

Axel had finished his ice cream already because he hadn't been the one talking and was starting to get bored of the parlour but, not of the company.

"Maybe we should get going," Roxas said as he glanced outside the window. The clouds looked darker than the crook of a raven's wing. It was like the sun had given up shining and just decided the thick heat was enough of a presence.

"That's probably a good idea," Axel said as he stood.

Not two minutes after they exited the store, Roxas' ice cream was a soppy, blue mess in his hands.

"Looks like you murdered a smurf," Axel teased, earning him a light shove from Roxas' shoulder, since his hands were too much of a mess to punch with.

Neither of them was really leading the other and they just seemed to be retracing the way they had come. As far as Axel knew, Roxas stilled lived with his parents so he hoped Roxas was leading him back to his familiar abode. Though he had gotten to know Roxas more over the past month, so much so that he could call him friend now, he hadn't show Roxas his own home. Any other day he might have asked Roxas over but, thinking back to the type of energy the place had given him today, he didn't even think he wanted to go back there.

"Did you want to stop somewhere and wash your hands or wait until you get home?" Axel asked.

"Nah, I can wait until I get home," Roxas said with a shrug of his shoulders as he wiped what he could off with the napkin.

Good, he's going his way, Axel thought but, his stomach churned. The thought of going back to his empty apartment didn't mix well with his mood.

"Hey Axel..." Roxas asked slowly.

"Yeah?" Axel replied just as slowly and with a wariness that tensed his shoulders. The sky echoed his feelings by letting out a low grumble.

"What were you doing by The Oblivion this morning?" he asked, fixing Axel with a questioning look.

Axel shrugged indifferently and replied offhandedly enough, "Just getting some air."

"In this heat?" Roxas fished and pulled at his shirt, already sticky with the thin layer of sweat on his skin from simply walking.

"Just had some things I needed room to think about," Axel said in a low tone that immediately cooed Roxas.

Roxas waited silently for Axel to continue as they walked down a narrow alley created by two red, brick walls. After a couple moments Axels said, "It's not something you need to worry about, Roxas."

"Why not?" Roxas blurted, causing Axel to peer at him in surprise. Roxas' face, already red with the heat, rouged with the realization of how childish he'd said that. "What I meant was, before you even knew me you tried to help me out, right? Remember at the diner-"

"Yeah, I remember," Axel said quickly, remembering the reason why he'd talked to Roxas then was because he was looking for a one night stand. It didn't seem like a good time to confess that though.

"A couple days later you talked to me about feeling down and you, well, you made me feel okay again. And that was before we were friends. So...I kind of owe it to you now, right?"

"You don't owe me anything, Roxas. It's my shit to deal with," he said locking eyes with the other.

Roxas stared hesitantly at Axel who looked back at him with the practiced ease of someone who had used similar lines countless times. Roxas wasn't sure whether it was a trust issue or if it was something serious that Axel couldn't talk openly about. The Axel kicked a crunched pop can down the alley way and it made a harsh tinkering noise as it bounced off the wall and span to a stop a couple feet away.

Roxas looked from his friend to the ground, then with more hope than certainty, timorously reached a hand out to touch Axel's arm. The touch didn't last long, just long enough to remind Axel that he was there and, if Axel allowed him, he could care.

Axel bent his head to look down at the fingers that pressed against his skin before they fell away. His stomach clenched and some messed up wiring in his brain sent a tremor down his spine. Axel got the message.

With a sigh, the rain came down, and not in a trickle. It was like the clouds had been holding back the rain for months or that it had sucked the water from every surrounding city and finally allowed soothing, cool relief to drip down the two's shoulders. The rain washed the sheen of sweat away quickly and rapidly formed puddles around their feet, as they stopped to look up at the sky. Roxas allowed himself the private pleasure of watching a rain drop follow the curve of a muscle in Axel's bare arm and saw it raise a couple goosebumps.

Catching Roxas' peek, Axel turned with a questioning, bemused look to him. The smaller boy's blonde hair was now a waterlogged-sand colour and the rain hung for a couple seconds on the boy's lips before dropping to the ground.

Roxas wasn't sure what emotion was moving in Axel's eyes. Something like want and suspicion, the emotions chasing each other's tails in those green eyes as he continued to stare at Roxas.

Roxas pushed away any thoughts that went into uncharted personal territory and conversation topics. Axel wasn't feeling comfortable and Roxas had a notion that Axel's head wasn't in a stable place to talk about anything pressing. So, with a smile, Roxas opened his hands to the weather and let the rain wash the blue mess from his fingers. Axel watched too.

---

Roxas raced for the water with Hayner while Pence, Olette and Naminé followed close behind. The sand on the beach burned their soles, only encouraging them to run faster. The summer was rapidly drawing to a close and the group of friends were packing as much fun as they could into the remaining days and nights.

"C'mon Roxas! You gotta make up for the trip you missed," Hayner goaded a couple feet ahead of him.

They were parallel when they hit the shoreline and when they got about knee deep they both ended up crashing head first into the waves. They came up laughing and splashing, choking on salt water and spraying the others when they got near.

Back on shore about an hour later, Roxas sat with Naminé and Olette on their large picnic blanket, their skin still wet from the water. Pence and Hayner had gone off to buy food, most likely pizza and fries. The sun beat down but under their umbrella they didn't have to squint and only their feet hung out in the sun.

"You're quiet, Roxas," Namine said sitting up with her pale legs drawn to her chest.

"I was just thinking about how I missed the last trip."

"Do you wish you had come?" she asked him.

Roxas lay stretched on his back looking up at the underbelly of the umbrella. It's canvas was a brilliant green and with the light of the sun shining down on it, the green fabric glowed.

"Kinda but, if I had..." Roxas let the thought trail off. It was kind of hard to talk to his old friends about his new ones. There seemed to be a gap there, as though he were living two lives.

"Then you wouldn't have met Axel. Roxas, we're cool with you making new friends, silly" Olette said as she took off her sunglasses and gave him a look that disapproved of his shyness of the subject. "Besides, we think you make a cute couple."

"What? Olette we're not – I haven't - " Roxas spluttered as he sat up suddenly.

"You aren't together?" she asked, trading a look with Naminé.

"No! Don't you think I would have told you? Besides, I don't think Axel's the type to want a long term type of thing," Roxas said, more than a little glumly. He stared from a frowning Naminé to a confused Olette. "Why would you think we're together?"

"Just how you talk about him. Plus you haven't been down since you met him," Olette said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I don't-"

"We thought that Axel was part of the change in your life that you needed," Naminé said in her gentle way.

Roxas was about to protest but, what was there to protest? Having Axel around felt good, so why deny it?

"Roxas!" Pence yelled just before he sprayed the three of them with sand when he ran towards them.

"What the hell?" Roxas said as he crawled out from under the umbrella and brushed sand off himself.

Pence was bent double as he tried to catch his breath. Roxas stood over him while Olette and Naminé stared wonderingly at him from the shade.

"Seifer and Rai...Hayner...fighting..." Pence wheezed.

"Where?" Roxas asked hurriedly, worrying about Hayner.

Pence lifted a trembling finger and pointed to the right around the corner of a sandy dune. Roxas took off at top speed, Olette bolting after him while Naminé walked over with Pence.

---

"How the hell did you find this place anyway?" Demyx asked as he surveyed the brightly painted walls of the ice cream parlour. He and Axel had just sat down with their cold treats and were waiting for Zexion to join them.

"Roxas showed me it," Axel said as he leaned back on two legs of his chair and looked up at the ceiling. He hadn't seen Roxas in a while...not that it mattered. It didn't. He and Roxas were just friends and it wasn't like either of them needed supervision, so why think about him? Oh shut up already, Axel chided inwardly to the entire thought process.

The door opened and Zexion walked in but froze as he was bombarded by the colourful walls. He was about to turn around and walk out, thinking he'd gone to the wrong place, when he saw Demyx waving him over to their table. When Zexion sat down Demyx slid the ice cream he had bought for Zexion across the table to him.

"Thank you," he said to Demyx with a small smile and then turned to Axel. "How did you find this place?"

"Roxas," Axel said, still looking at the ceiling, mainly to hide any trace of emotion his face might give away. He didn't want his friends pointing out how he felt about the blonde when he wasn't sure what he wanted to feel. He and Roxas had been having a blast, usually just doing the simplest of things like bumming around downtown.

"I see," Zexion said with a small nod. He turned to Demyx and asked, "What's the count?"

"Four, in the last twenty minutes," Demyx replied and smirked at Zexion.

Axel took his eyes off the ceiling and looked from Zexion to Demyx. "What are your idiots talking about now?"

"It's got nothing to do with what we're talking about," Demyx said slyly.

"It's a new game," Zexion supplied.

"Is Dem any better at this one?"

Demyx sighed and twirled his spoon in his bowl while Zexion dug into his own ice cream, surprise wrinkling his nose.

"What flavour is this?"

"Uh, something with bananas and chocolate," Demyx answered and scratched the back of his head. "Do you like it?"

"Yes, it's just...different."

"Hey Dem, does Roxas work tonight?" Axel asked. He hadn't seen Roxas in almost a week and hadn't talked with him since he said he was going to the beach with his friends. He tried calling Roxas' cell a couple times but wouldn't permit himself anymore calls at the risk of looking needy. That was one thing Axel was not, no matter how adorable Roxas might be.

"Five," Zexion said as he swallowed a spoonful of ice cream. Axel shot him a questioning look.

"No," Demyx half laughed as he shared a look with Zexion. He turned his full attention back to Axel, his face becoming serious. "He had a shift yesterday but, apparently the boss sent him home as soon as he walked in."

"Why's that?"

Demyx shrugged, "I don't know. I wasn't working last night."

Axel wasn't worried, he just felt odd not hearing from Roxas. Up until a week ago, he and Roxas had been seeing each other almost every day. The presence of the blonde boy in his life was almost becoming a comfy but still surprising routine. The thought of breaking that routine shadowed his mind like a buzzard threatening to block out the sun above as it circled and lowered.

Axel had turned his attention from the ceiling to the front window where he caught site of a group of teenagers walking up to the door. He had spotted a couple tufts of bright, blonde hair among the group. An eager grin spread across his lips and he eased the other two legs of his chair back to the ground. Demyx and Zexion looked from Axel to the group, not quite sure why Axel would smirk like that for a handful of teens.

The group chatted happily and made its way up to the counter. Naminé saw from the corner of her eye a tall and imposing someone watching them. When she recognized the red spikes she smiled sweetly at Axel, really causing confusion among Demyx and Zexion. The she gently tugged on someone's sleeve, who was standing in the centre of the group. Axel saw the blonde tufts duck down so that Naminé was able to speak into the person's ear. The blonde tufts perked up and Roxas happily detached himself from the group and stood before Axel, Demyx and Zexion. Axel, expecting to feel the flush of happy chemicals from his brain instead found himself flooded by a feeling of shock and rage.

"Whoa. Guess that's why he got sent home," Demyx said, just as surprised as Axel.

Roxas' arms were bruised a yellowish-green in a couple areas about the size of a coaster and he was half a panda with only one black eye. When he made his way, grinning, over to their table, small nicks and a long scratch traveling from his neck to his collar bone could be seen.

"Hey guys!" Roxas greeted them.

"Hey Roxas," Demyx said, still taking in the damage toll on Roxas' body. "What's up?"

"Nothing much. Hey, how was work last night?" he asked, worry darkening his happy expression. "I hope not too busy."

"I don't know. I didn't work."

"Oh, okay. Just didn't want to have people mad at me or give me hell for not working," Roxas said a little self-consciously. As he had walked over, Roxas had seen the look on Axel's face and his confidence had been shaken. Roxas had expected and, truth be told, hoped Axel would survey him with pride. After coming back from the beach, bruised but triumphant from the scuffle with Seifer and Rai, Roxas had wanted to run into Axel and show him he wasn't the type to roll over and die. Not that he thought Axel saw him as weak but, so that they could be on an equal level and the idea of Axel looking at him with respect and pride made lights fire in his brain. His dreams suddenly felt very stupid and childish under the blazing look Axel was giving him. Roxas scratched nervously at the back of his head. Damn it, without Seifer here it probably looks like my ass was the one that got beat.

"Roxas," Axel said in a tone that immediately grabbed everyone's attention. Roxas stared at him, a blush creeping onto his cheek, clashing brilliantly with the purple of his eye. "What the fuck happened to you?"

"You mean my face?" Roxas said thickly and pointed at his purple eye.

"No, I mean your hair. Of course I mean your face! Who did it to you?" Axel demanded and actually stood up to walk over to Roxas, his chairs' legs scraping indignantly at being shoved away. As Axel leaned over him, Roxas came to terms for the first time since they'd known each other, just how tall Axel was.

Roxas was going to chuckle nervously and say 'what's it matter? I won the fight' but the serious look in Axel's eye was unnerving and all he could do was duck his face and rub at the back of his neck. He'd already got a lecture from his parents and that had been bad enough. He didn't particularly want one from the guy he liked, especially while in front of his friends and Axel's as well. Not to mention Demyx would probably continue to laugh at him for weeks since Roxas still teased the guitarist about drunken fangirls.

Axel got tired of not being looked at so he nudged Roxas' face up gently with his fingers. Axel took the wariness in Roxas' eyes to mean the blonde boy couldn't tell him because he was afraid to speak.

"Is someone threatening you? What asshole beat you up? When did-"

"Beat me up?" Roxas interrupted Axel's angry stream of questions, the wariness giving way to confusion and then comprehension. Roxas laughed and Axel straightened up with a jolt, his hand falling away from Roxas' chin. "Axel, I kicked his ass. No one beat me up. Well, I guess I didn't exactly remain scar free but, still..."

"No one beat you up?" Axel asked, his anger dissipating and shoulders relaxing. In a way, he kind of wished someone had beaten Roxas then he could have the sick pleasure beating the guy to a pulp.

"No, Hayner and I got into a fight with this guy we knew from school. It was kind of stupid, I guess," Roxas said a little downtrodden. He tried not to feel ashamed and straighten his bent spine. "It was dumb. It was over nothing really. Just kind of a goodbye brawl."

Roxas was surprised to feel Axel gently clap him on the shoulder and surprised to hear him laugh as well.

"Well, well, I had no idea you were such an animal, Roxas. Congratulations. You're officially a testosterone driven idiot," Axel said with a punishing ruffle of his blonde hair for making him worrying, even if Roxas had no idea.

Roxas, realizing Axel was joshing with him, swatted at the hand in his hair and beamed up at Axel.

"So I'm just like you then?" Roxas asked, a laugh barely suppressed in his voice.

"Want me to even your eyes up, Rox?" Axel said and playfully brushed his fisted knuckles along Roxas' cheek.

Roxas just shook his head with a goofy grin on his face but, as he dashed back over to his friends, his smile became one born of great affection. He had seen it written in the snarl of Axel's face and only just realized what it meant. Axel would have fought for him. He wasn't sure which thought made him happier; the fact that he'd proven his strength or that Axel cared.

Axel sat back down at his table, eyes trained on Roxas until the group left the store, Roxas waving goodbye and bumping into Naminé on his backwards way out the door.

"Six, seven, eight," Demyx said.

Axel turned his attention to Demyx who was chewing on his plastic spoon, the guitarist's lips parting into a grin.

"I say only seven point five," Zexion countered, shaking his head. Demyx frowned at Zexion, now not even understanding their own game.

"Point five? How-"

"Roxas," Axel interjected, watching Demyx and Zexion with a deadly look.

There was an apprehensive silence then Zexion said levelly, "Eight point five."

"How many points do you get if I tell you to go fuck yourselves?" Axel asked.

They were silent and as frozen as their ice cream. Axel stood up and walked out the door, throwing what remained of his ice cream into the garbage. He heard Demyx laugh as his heels were just passing over the threshold so he flipped them the bird as he passed by the window. Apparently he talked too much. Apparently he talked too much to his friends. Apparently he talked too much to his friends about Roxas. So what did his mouth know that his mind didn't?

---

It was Roxas' third week at the club and he was training with Demyx who was also working the bar that night. Roxas was feeling much better, the scratch on his neck long gone and the purple around his eye now only a pale shade of pink. Roxas did feel bad for Demyx though; he got saddled with training the newbie on a busy Friday night but, he didn't seem angry, just a little flustered. There was a man yelling for a refill, already way past tipsy and it was still relatively early. Demyx called Roxas over with a wave of his hand.

"Can you fill that guy's order? He's pissing me off as well as everyone else."

"What if I don't know how to make what he wants?" Roxas yelled over the din, eyeing the guy apprehensively. He was just recovering from his last fight and he had no desire to lose his job over some aggressive drunk.

"You could give him toilet water and he wouldn't notice the difference."

"Shouldn't we cut him off?"

"If you've got the balls to do so then go for it. I just started watering his drinks down an hour ago," Demyx admitted. "I hate angry drunks."

Roxas didn't feel like shouting over the music and people's voices anymore so he moved down towards the man. He got sidetracked by a blazing mane of red hair and keen, green eyes leering at him.

"Axel!"

"Roxas!" Axel yelled in mockery of Roxas' jovial exclamation, even opening his arms wide as though surprised to see Roxas there. "Your face looks much better. How's work?"

"Busy," Roxas said, "When did you get here?"

"'Bout fifteen minutes ago."

The man who Roxas was about to serve hollered at him.

"Hurry the fuck up!" the guy yelled, banging his plastic cup on the counter. The cup bounced out of his hand and the guy swore at it as it cart-wheeled through the air and rolled away.

Roxas meant to share an exasperated look with Axel over the idiot at the end of the bar but, instead Axel was staring with a hard glint in his eyes at the guy as he banged on the counter. Roxas suddenly felt wary of Axel and wondered if he should be worry about Axel's attitude.

Roxas made his way over to the guy, conscious that Axel followed him along the bar, one hand trailing along the edge of the counter, the other clenched tight as his side.

"Sorry about that. What'll you have?" Roxas asked, smile slipping off his lips like the drunk's grip on his cup.

When the guy opened his mouth Roxas swore that the smell of alcohol doubled, which was saying something since he was standing behind the bar. "What fuckin' took s'long?"

Axel butted in beside the guy and leaned over the bar to talk to Roxas.

"So now how's work going?" he asked cattily. Roxas didn't miss the singeing look Axel shot at the drunk as he tried to elbow Axel away.

"Uh..." Roxas said, eyes looking from the angry guy jostling Axel to Axel leaning his head in his hand and smiling almost...flirtingly at him. Whatever you wanted to call the look, Roxas blanched because of it.

"Fuck off, I's here first," the guy said to Axel, trying to nudge him away.

"It's good, um, okay. You?" Roxas said distractedly, taking the angry guy's order while trying to figure out what the hell Axel thought he was doing. Was he trying to start a fight?

"I feel fantastic," Axel said and his lips curled into a snarl as the guy shoved him again.

Roxas watered the guy's drink down discreetly and searched his brain for something to keep the conversation flowing smoothing between him and Axel.

"I didn't know you came here," Roxas said, "O-or do you come here often?"

"Hitting on me, Rox? You naughty bartender," Axel said in a fiery tone and with burning eyes that jolted Roxas and made his grip slip on the guy's drink as he passed it over the bar. Roxas' frayed nerves combined with the guy's drunken grasp caused the drink to slip and spill down the guy's pants. It also caused the guy to use his favourite four letter sentence enhancer over and over until it became as common to hear as 'and'.

"Fucking kid can't fucking pass shit to people."

"Sorry I-"

"Fuck you!"

"Calm the fuck down," Axel roared over his shoulder at the guy, his body relatively still while all of his rage collected in his eyes and furrowed brows.

The people nearest the bar stopped what they were doing and looked curiously at Axel and the guy. Roxas had been about to pass the soaked drunk a towel when Axel yelled, and now it seemed impossible to move. Roxas guessed that if the guy hadn't been so soused he would have pissed his pants and hightailed it out of there. Axel was livid.

The guy didn't exactly run for the door but he seemed to actually be thinking about the situation because he changed his attack route.

"Fuck you," he yelled, pointing a finger at Axel but, taking a couple precautionary steps backwards. The guy staggered on the spot and pointed his finger at Axel, then at Roxas then back to Axel.

"Watch what you say," Axel snarled a warning and pushed himself off the bar to stand in front of the guy. Flowers and trees might need sun and water to grow but all Axel needed was rage and he was ten feet tall.

"Axel!" Roxas reached out his hand and grabbed Axel's arm in an action motivated by sheer panic. Axel looked down at Roxas' hand as it clutched him then met Roxas' gaze. At first Axel felt his temper flare and acid roil in his belly but, Roxas with his still visible bruises on his face and the alarm in his eyes as he shook his blonde head, began to neutralize Axel's rage. The anger was still in Axel's eyes but it was cooling...until the drunk managed to find the word's in his booze drenched brain.

"Fucking queers! Fucking fa-" he yelled as he made a sloppy attempt to strike Axel. The punch connected with Axel's cheek but not nearly as nicely as Axel's retort.

Axel tore out of Roxas' grip and nailed the guy with a nasty right hook. Even if Roxas had been hanging off of Axel's arm, he still wouldn't have been able to stop him. The guy struggled to sit up, got one foot under him and fell back down. Axel strode over and towered over the guy.

"Take that tone with me again and you won't be getting up," Axel put a finger to his temple and leered down at the guy, "Got it memorized?"

The bouncers weren't aware that there had been a fight until they saw Axel looming over the guy and giving him hell. They rushed Axel from behind and brought him with a huff to his knees then pinned him down to the ground. Roxas hopped the bar and rushed forward.

"Don't, he's calm, he's calm," Roxas said as his pushed at the bouncers' shoulders. When Roxas had gotten their confused attention he pointed to the drunk lolling on the beer soaked ground. "He attacked first. Axel was just defending himself. He's calm!"

"Roxas..." Axel muttered awkwardly with his face pressed to the soppy, disgusting ground.

The bouncers weren't quite sure what to make of the young, blonde bartender with the bruised face, kneeling in the wet mess of the club floor, pulling at their sleeves. They hesitated once more and then lifted their weight off Axel and grabbed the drunken guy off the ground.

Roxas helped Axel to his feet, brushing at Axel's arms with the towel he still held in his one hand and cutting off the circulation in Axel's wrist with his other. Neither were aware of the stares and murmurs from the other club-goers.

"Roxas! Axel! You guys okay?" Demyx yelled, his eyes wide and his voice quavering. He had only seen Axel take the punch and was worried when Roxas seemed to fly over the bar to kneel beyond the counter, where Demyx lost sight of them.

"Yeah," Roxas yelled back, his shock receding. Roxas took a look at Axel's split lip and thin trail of blood snaking from his gums and down his chin. Outwardly Axel seemed ready for more but the look in his eyes and the way he turned from Roxas' gaze...self-destructive.

Axel felt guilty and ashamed that he lost it in front of Roxas. The guy he'd been carefully treading after for a couple weeks now. The guy who probably thought he was a fucking nutcase. He wouldn't deny it. He'd screwed up. Who's kidding who? Axel closed his eyes and rubbed at his swelling cheek, hating the embarrassing mark but enjoying the sting. I am screwed up.

The fear of Roxas fleeing was removed by the gentle pressing of Roxas' sleeve to his bloody lip and the concern, though a bit of wariness, in his blue eyes.

"Dem, man, I'm sorry but, I think I should take Axel home," Roxas shouted over to Demyx.

Demyx waved a hand as though to say 'don't worry about it'. Some people had vacated the bar when the first punch was thrown. Probably guys protecting their girls or maybe just looking for an excuse to move from the dance floor to the bedroom. Roxas didn't give it much thought but was glad that there were far fewer people for Demyx to handle. Roxas hesitated for a moment but a knowing, sad look and a mouthed 'go' from Demyx was enough to motivate him.

He loosened his clamp-like grip on Axel's wrist but didn't let go as he lead Axel past the eyes that stared from dark corners and whispers from bright red lips and out the door into the quiet night. Axel didn't speak until they were at the curb, waiting to hail a taxi.

"Roxas, I live a couple blocks away. I can walk."

"Okay, we'll walk."

"I can hoof it. You have work-"

"We'll walk," Roxas said in an almost clam voice except for a slight quaver. "Just tell me which way."

Axel pointed across the street so they crossed, Roxas still holding his wrist.

They walked in silence for a while, Roxas calming his nerves while Axel tried to find the words to apologize and explain. When they were a block away, on a deserted street with a couple busted street lights, Axel spoke up.

"I shouldn't have egged him on."

"Yeah, probably not."

"I'm sorry I made you're night hell, Roxas."

Roxas rolled his shoulders and tried to smile at Axel. "It's not so bad. I mean, I got off work early."

"Yeah," Axel said his eyes downcast, feeling like a jerk. In a mouth swollen with pain and made dumb by blood, Axel murmured what he really wanted to say. "Thanks...for sticking by me. You didn't have to."

"What do you mean?" Roxas asked a little confused and sensing a swelling of emotion in the simple words.

"Not everyone is as good natured as you. Some people...bolt when times get tough."

"Like who?"

"Like my ex."

The revelation dropped like a brick wall and made the silence of the deserted street all the more booming. Roxas wanted to ask how and what happened but he just continued to walk quietly next to Axel. After ten steps Axel spoke again.

"My ex couldn't take the pressure from scum like the guy I tangled with tonight. One night when we were walking back from The Oblivion we got jumped. There were only two guys, I could have taken them both if only he'd stayed but...he ran away, uh, from me. And I kind of lost the guts to fight, so I just...lost. He didn't visit me in the hospital either. We had been together for two years and I thought we knew everything about each other. Fucking fool," Axel cursed softly but whether it was at his ex or himself, Roxas couldn't guess. "So, you didn't have to stick by me. It was my fight the moment the guy started calling me-"

"Axel, it was my fight too," Roxas said gently and slipped his hand off Axel's wrist and into his hand. Roxas squeezed Axel's hand strongly and after a moment Axel's fingers began to respond and twine with Roxas'. It was probably a bad time but, Roxas couldn't help feeling his heart soar a little. "Thanks for fighting for me too."

Axel grunted his appreciation, not trusting his voice to not crack and betray him. There was one thing he wanted at the moment and pity wasn't it. Axel walked stiffly with his eyes focused determinedly down. He was a raw mess of nerves and even just Roxas' warm grip on his hand was enough to make his throat tighten and his hands twitch. Roxas noticed the slight shake in Axel's grip and without a word, pressed his side up against Axel's as though he were suddenly cold.

When they reached Axel's apartment building, they stood uncertainly at the steps. Axel wasn't sure if he wanted Roxas around him, for both their sakes. For one thing, Axel's face burned where the guy had hit him and whenever he moved his jaw he could feel how tight his skin had become. Roxas, though on the mend, wasn't much better with his still visible bruises. But he'd be lying to say it was the pain from the punch or any other physical wounds that made him the most hesitant to welcome Roxas in.

Roxas noticed Axel's hesitation and didn't want to push boundaries. He'd learned two key things about Axel tonight. One was to not mess with him unless you wanted your ass handed to you. The other was that when people screwed around with Axel's feelings, he became a danger to himself. Pain wasn't what Roxas wanted to bring him.

When they had been standing on the steps silently for a good two minutes, Roxas cleared his throat and turned to say goodbye. But when Roxas saw the thinly veiled distress in the green eyes that he always remembered as playful, the words shyly hid in his throat. Instead, in the feeling of sympathy, Roxas reached up and lightly kissed Axel's unharmed cheek. If Axel's face had been burning before, the place where Roxas had kissed him felt like white, hot flames. Roxas made to walk away but his hand was caught in Axel's.

Axel nodded his head towards his apartment building and Roxas' lips eased into a warm smile.

---

Axel was in his bathroom washing his face and changing his beer soaked clothes. When he realized that just changing his clothes wouldn't get rid of the stink he took a three minute shower, dried off and changed into a pair of track pants and a black muscle shirt.

Roxas had been in the kitchen, washing Axel's blood from his shirt sleeve and cleaning his hands and knees from when he had knelt on the club floor. He wasn't quite sure how to feel about being in Axel's apartment. The place didn't exactly feel like a home, though it didn't look like a dump. It was weird but, the place gave off the same feeling as a contract, kind of like Axel had said 'I won't fuck with the wallpaper if you don't fall in on me" and the apartment agreed with as much attitude.

When Axel came looking for Roxas, his hair lying flat and damp from the shower and skin looking fresh, he said, "I can lend you clothes. And you can clean up in the bathroom."

Roxas nodded and nervously laughed as he tore his eyes from the cracked walls. "Thanks."

Ten minutes later Roxas came out clean but feeling a lot smaller in a pair of Axel's pyjama pants and a t-shirt. Axel was lounging on his couch with an icepack pressed to his cheek. He motioned for Roxas to come sit with him and moved his legs so he had room.

"How's it feel?" Roxas asked as he sat down.

"Swelling's gone down and it doesn't sting," Axel removed the ice pack and tossed it on the ground with a sigh. He was very aware that Roxas was watching him closely. Cracking an easy smile Axel said, "The drunk bastard split my gums. I'll be flossing blood from between my teeth for the next couple days."

Roxas smiled and leaned back into the couch. Axel moved his arm so that it was lying along the top of the couch behind Roxas' head. His fingers twitched behind Roxas, automatically willing him to touch the blonde, damp hair but, he uneasily let his fingers rest on the back of the couch.

"I have a feeling that if the guy hadn't been so hammered he wouldn't have been getting up. You got him pretty good."

"Yeah. In those situations I just let my body do whatever the hell it wants to. Sorry if I had you worried," Axel added as he remembered the death grip Roxas had on his arm.

"It's cool, Axel. He was out of line," the blood rushed to his cheeks as he murmured with his head ducked, "Thanks."

"For what?" Axel asked with curious eyes.

"For setting him straight, I guess. He was upsetting people."

"It might be kind of a dick thing to say but, I didn't give a shit about the people. He was pissing me off because he was pissing on you. It was fucking hard to take," Axel's eyes blazed at the memory. Shouldn't care this much.

Roxas wasn't quite sure what to say to that. Thank you? Sorry? His obvious discomfort put Axel on edge. Axel looked away and took a deep, quiet breath to calm down.

Noticing Axel's inward strife, Roxas put a tentative hand lightly on the other's shoulder. Axel turned his face to Roxas, green eyes cooling like hot metal in winter air. Roxas leaned forward a little shakily to plant another kiss closer to Axel's lips but, Axel leaned in and their lips met full on. The arm that had been lying behind Roxas' head curled to Roxas' back and drew him forward. Roxas was careful not to put too much pressure in his kiss and squirmed in Axel's arms so that he was nearly sitting in Axel's lap. Axel seemed to think that Roxas had thoughts of running away because he held Roxas' body so close that it almost hurt to breath. Then again, Roxas didn't really care. In response, Roxas wormed his hands free and laced his fingers through Axel's damp hair, tugging gently and eliciting a heated sigh.

They stopped when Axel's lip began to bleed again. Axel swore under his breath, annoyed.

Roxas just shook his head, beaming blue eyes the only light in the dim apartment. With his thumb, Roxas cleared away the blood and wiped it on his pants. A little awkwardly, though still comforting, Roxas rested his head on Axel's chest, and the redhead supplied an arm for a blanket as they lay back on the couch.

"Shit," Roxas cursed softly after a moment.

"What?" Axel grunted, his tone a little apprehensive.

"I-I wiped the blood on your pants, Axel, sorry," Roxas said and scratched at the already dried blood dismally.

When Axel laughed, Roxas was shaken by the redhead's chest moving up and down with each chuckle.

"Roxas, if I remember correctly and yeah, I took one to the head so don't quote me on it but, you also got my blood on your sleeve and my issues on your plate. So all I can say is, how dare you screw with my pyjama pants!" Axel teased, catching Roxas in his arms, pulling at the baggy shirt and slipping a hand down the pyjama pants to tease in another way. When Roxas flinched Axel took his hand away.

"Sorry," Roxas tried not to blush or break his gaze with Axel. Those green eyes were inches away and regarding him with a look of curiosity. "I just...haven't done that yet."

They held each other's gaze for a moment, Roxas trying, and rather successfully, to not look intimidated or embarrassed. In his concentration, Roxas missed Axel's gentle, albeit amused, smile.

"Don't apologize. It only makes me sound like an ass," Axel sighed and rested his forehead against Roxas'. Roxas smiled, relieved, although something gnawed at his stomach...

"Just haven't been with the right person," Roxas explained and shrugged as though bumping into the wrong people for years wasn't such a big deal.

"That's...actually kind of smart. Being with the wrong person can really fuck you up."

Roxas could feel the suppressed laugh ripple in Axel's ribs, they were so close.

"That pun was intended," Roxas said matter-of-factly.

"Oh yeah," Axel said releasing his laugh.

"Shut up," Roxas trilled and quieted Axel with a light kiss on his bruised lips.

They lay on the couch, their laughter subsiding and its place being taken by steady breathing. It had been a while for both of them to just hold and be held. For Roxas, lying next to someone and slowly falling asleep was something new and for Axel, it was something forcefully forgotten.

"Roxas..."

"Yeah?"

"There's no way in hell I'm moving," he mumbled into Roxas' neck, too tired to raise his head and look Roxas in the eye. That and the swollen side of his face seemed to be the popular hangout for all the blood in his body. Untangling their limbs would also take some effort.

"Okay," Roxas said, eyes heavy with tiredness as his fingers began to loosen and the damp red hair coiled around his wrist. His half awake mind barely registered that he shouldn't be this tired, he was usually working at this time. Maybe it was the drama.

"You're gonna have to stay the night," Axel said with false bravado. Roxas walking away now would be a disappointment and it would hurt.

Pause.

"Good."

"Yeah?" Axel asked, a whisper in the dark room. The moon's silver light shone through the curtains like the slit of a cat's eye and encouragingly purred drowsiness on. Axel roused Roxas with a kiss and instead of moaning or pushing him away, Roxas woke and kissed back.

"Hell yeah. As long as I can stay the morning too," Roxas sighed, a dozy smile on his lips as he began to fall asleep again.

Axel's muscles relaxed and seeped like water around Roxas. The walls around them seemed to breathe and not just because of the drafts the cracks let in.

---

Waking up the next morning was a laugh and a half. What with Axel's purplish cheek clashing with his red hair and Roxas' light bruises dotting his pale skin, it looked as though the two had been fighting very vicious bedbugs. The bedbugs might have been welcome if it had meant sleeping in a bed. Axel's couch was in need of a long break in a dump where then only living things to rest on its sunken seats were seagulls and rats.

Still, as Axel clawed at his eyes and shifted back to the waking world, he became aware that he wasn't alone on his couch. Nor was he hung-over so he really had to think about what happened last night before he opened his eyes and felt bad for screwing up another life. People didn't stay with Axel. He kicked them out before they caught their breath and were fully clothed again.

His face hurt and he scrunched up his nose and eyes when he licked his lips and tasted coppery blood. The person next to him laughed lightly and ran his thumb across Axel's tattooed cheek as though trying to smooth his scrunched up expression.

Everything was dark to Axel with his eyes closed but the guy's laugh brought the memory of the past night back with colour and light. He had been out at the club, he felt the embers of rage in his stomach, someone yelled his name and touched his arm, dense knuckle meeting his cheek, more blood on his lips, fury released and then "he's calm!" from young lungs and a plaintive voice. A boy with blonde hair and blue eyes.

The thumb moved across his other cheek but lightly because it was bruised. When Axel leaned into the touch the thumb began making circular motions as though it could scrub the bruise away like dirt.

Axel's eyelids fluttered, letting in the light of the sun through the small slit in the curtains. Through the grog in his eye and the fuzz in his head from being hit last night, Axel could make out the pale hair and skin of someone facing him. Relief like a light in the dark lit in Axel's chest. Roxas was still there and smiling at him like some cheery, morning bird. Last night hadn't been an episode of self torment. Roxas was setting out to prove that something could grow in scorched land.

---

Author's Note: This oneshot is a sort of prequel to another fanfic that I'm writing, though the story will pick up at a different place from where this one left off and with a different tone. Thank you again for reading.