Ignore the lack of effort in the spacing. I'm rather lazy tonight...And this took a bit of time to edit on Fanfiction, when it's usually just up and ready to go...
BUT, this entire fanfiction was result of a DeviantArt journal! PRAISE THE GODS.
It's totally OOC, and as for 'I'll Never Be Enough', the last three chapters should be up by the end of August. Maybe. Most likely.
So, anyways, this takes place right after the latest chapter of 'I'll Never Be Enough' and follows closely to the story line. Any references I make to other fanfictions don't particuarly count...
This took about 4 or so hours to type, so I hope you enjoy it!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of the characters mentioned. Square Enix owns them.
HOWEVER, I do own Cenchax, and he may not be used without MY permission!
(SPACE)
"Hey…Um, Cenchax?"
"Yeah?"
"Will…Will you go on a date with me…?"
FIRST DATE
A Cat's Eye Fanfiction Inc. Production
I like dedicating, don't I? This goes to 8-in-the-morning-brillaint ideas, and David Bowie.
Author's Note: THIS IS COMPLETELY OOC.
Steps echoed down the vacant hallways as an individual rounded the corner. His facial expression was the smuggest of all the smug faces in the world. And the teenager had every single reason to be smug. For he was the greatest match maker in all the land. Sultan of Set-Ups. King of Clicking People Together. The Highness of Hook-Up. There was no one on the face of any world that could match his skills.
I am a genius.
However, the farther he got down the hallway, the louder the sound of a ruckus became. Slowly, his smug grin was replaced by a confused frown, as the muffled noise grew louder. He reached his destination, only to find that the strange crashes and 'Thuds' were coming from behind the door. What on Earth…?
Hesitantly, he lifted his hand, grasped the handle, and pushed the door inwards to open it.
The first thing he took notice of was a gray and white bundle flying through the air at him. Eyes widening, he ducked down, gaze following the cluster of shirts till they hit the opposite wall of the hallway. Then, he turned his head back into the room. "HEY! That was almost in my face!" he exclaimed.
The room was a horrible mess. T-shirts were laying on top of the bureau. Pants were flung across the bed. Sweatshirts tossed into the corner. Left and right, clothing of assorted color and size, of different material and design, were strewn about, in no particular order. The closet was flung open, the draws all pulled out, items knocked over…
And in the midst of all this chaos was a black-haired teenager with his one visible eye widening so much, it caused the other teenager to blink.
The boy in the room kept flying this way and that, looking in his drawers, tossing the clothes on the floor around, briefly looking at a shirt before tossing it aside. For a second, the teen in the doorway wondered if his friend had even noticed his entrance. He was about to ask when a panicked voice shouted, "ROXASANDIHAVEADATETONIGHT! IMEANLIKEAREALONE! IMEANHEASKEDMEOUT! WHATSHOULDIWEAR? IMFREAKINGOUT! ANDIIDIDNTKNOWWHATTODO! OHMYGODWHATAREWEDOING? WHATSHOULDIDOWHATSHOULDIWEAR? IMSONERVOUS! ITHINKIMGONNAPEEMYPANTS! ZEXIONWHATSHOULDIDO?" (Author's Note: This was originally just one word, and the only exclamation points were between 'pants' and 'Zexion'. Oh, and some of the quote is missing. To see the full thing, you're better off looking at my DeviantArt account.)
Zexion picked his way inside the room, stepping around sweatpants and long-sleeved shirts. Once he was well inside, he closed the door. The smug grin returned. "I know, I know…" he murmured in response. "I was there…" the slate-haired boy added under his breath.
"Um…Zexion? I…I have a question…"
Zexion looked up from his book—why did everyone have to have questions RIGHT before the end of a chapter?—to find that a golden-haired boy looked down nervously at him, eying the wall to his right, a light blush on his peachy face.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Well…When…When you really like someone a lot…" Roxas began. He paused. Then, he continued, "Like, I mean…Like, like them…Like, more than a friend, like…I mean, you care about them so much—"
"Is there a point to this, and if so, are you reaching it any time in the near future?" Zexion asked in a dismissive tone.
"Well, what do you do?" Roxas asked.
Zexion eyed the boy down. It didn't take long for him to figure out what was going on. He smirked. Turning back to his book, Zexion teased, "This wouldn't have to do with our fourteenth member, would it?"
Zexion could feel how hot Roxas's face was getting, though he was nowhere near it. "NO!" he snapped. After a moment of silence, Zexion heard a small sigh. "Well…Maybe…But, whatever…" There was a small shuffle of hair as the blonde shook his head. "What would I do?"
Zexion didn't look up from his book. He simply turned the page, nonchalantly saying, "Usually, if two people like each other a lot, they go out on a date…"
"A…A date?"
Zexion rolled his eyes. "YES, Roxas. A date. It's a get-together for couples where they tend to perform activities with each other. For example, going to the movies, out to dinner, a walk in the park, visiting a fair…" He lifted his hand to count down his fingers as he threw out random ideas. Then, he returned to his book. "It apparently is a show of affection for one another to go on a date together."
"I…I know that…"
Zexion sighed. "Roxas, please don't make this any more difficult than it needs to be…"
There was a pause. Then, Roxas responded with, "What is that supposed to mean?" There was a slight hint of irritation in his voice.
Zexion closed his book and sat up, looking Roxas right in the eye. The blonde leaned back, surprised by the sudden intensity of the bookworm's gaze.
"Roxas, he loves you. You 'like, like' him. Date." He lay back down, opening his book again. "Put two and two together…"
For a brief period of time, the room was noiseless, as the words slowly sunk into Roxas's brain. Then, a bright and cheery voice exclaimed, "Thanks, Zexion!" A pair of boots pounded on the floor, and then, silence once again greeted Zexion. He smirked to himself.
"About time…" he muttered, flipping a page.
Zexion managed to make it over to the bed, sitting down on it, on top of a pair of dark gray skinny jeans. Occasionally, he'd have to swerve out of the way of a pair of pants or a shirt, but for the most part, only his head, moved, following Cenchax around the room.
"Oh, god, what am I gonna do? I don't know what to wear, I don't know what to say…!" the black-haired teen fretted. He jumped into his closet and began tearing through a heap of clothing.
"Cenchax, calm down! It's not like either of you has any dating experience!" Zexion exclaimed. He was close to laughing at the entire fiasco.
"But that's why I'm so worried! What if I screw something up? What if someone gets hurt? What am I going to wear?" Cenchax shouted, eye filled with distress. He had yet to look Zexion in the face yet.
Gray-blue eyes turned in a circle. "If your biggest concern is what to wear…" he muttered, "Then you're gonna be just fine…" He stood up to exit the room. Clearly, he wasn't needed there. Trying to give fashion advice to a panic-driven Cenchax is like trying to teach a dead man how to breath.
(SPACE)
Staring down at his floor, he couldn't stop himself from shaking. He had a date. A DATE. He was going out on a date tonight. With Cenchax. Tonight, he was going on a date with Cenchax. The words just wouldn't process in my mind…
Slouching down, he felt his heart beating fast at the prospect, though he had yet to accept it. He wished it would stop, if only for a moment. He needed time to think. In case they actually DID go on the day they were going to go on.
What am I gonna do? I don't even know where we're going! What was I thinking? He ran through a list of possibilities through his head. Ice-cream date? It was the middle of winter! Movie? Too cliché…Dinner? But where would he take him? Go for a walk in the park? They always walked there together…Amusement park? They were practically all closed! And besides, they had already gone to an amusement park together…
Maybe he should've thought about what they were going to do on their date before actually asking Cenchax…Even though the oblivious teen seemed eager enough…
What would Cenchax want to do? He was rather active, even in the winter time. He liked to be out and about, keeping his feet moving as he took in the outside air. He was a sports fanatic, as well, and was better at dealing with familiar things than strange things…
Roxas's head flew up, blue eyes wide, and a hint of a grin stretching across his face. I KNOW! Quickly, he pulled out his cell phone and ran through his contacts. It wasn't exactly original, but he had never tried it before, and he knew Cenchax was pretty good at it.
His fingers flew across the miniature keyboard as he quickly typed up a message. A light blush covered his face as he added something at the very end. He almost hit the send button, but his pointer finger jerked to a stop. Reading it over, he debated whether or not to send it…
"He loves you. You like, like him…" He smiled dreamily, eyes half closing. Honestly, what did he have to lose?
He pressed 'Send'.
'Message Sent!'
(SPACE)
For the first time, he paused through his rampage, looking up at the boy leaving the room. His mocha eye widened as the boy opened the door. Scrambling out of the clothes pile, he sprinted over.
"WAIT, Zexion, I don't know what to do…!" he exclaimed. The door closed in his face. His hand recoiled, and his ears strained to hear the footsteps padding down the hallways. Cenchax backed away from the door, fell back on his bed, and sat down, sighing. He slouched forward, downcast.
"I've never been on a date before…" he muttered to himself. He felt like his brain had turned to slush, lying uselessly in his head. Apparently, the inferno in his heart had caused it to melt. His hand gripped onto his shirt above his heart, as though to calm it. But what was the use? A date with Roxas? As if he could calm down!
What should I do? What if I say the wrong thing? What if I hold his hand but he doesn't want to? What if I try to kiss him? What if I get to close…? The blush on his face darkened as he recalled the unforgettable moment.
Why does Xemnas always have to assign missions on Saturdays? I can't remember the last time I got out to the fields…He sighed, gripping his head. "Well, guess I'm busy this weekend, too…"
He turned the corner, padding off to the library. Whatever this world called Atmos was, he wanted to read up on it a bit tonight, and then a bit tomorrow. He was at least going to be prepared for the mission!
"Hey, Cenchax!" He turned his head to see the Key of Destiny bounding towards him. He felt his heart skip a beat. He smiled, pausing from his plod down the corridor.
"Hi, Roxas!" he beamed. The blonde stopped right in front of him, staring up at him. "What do ya want?"
Roxas opened his mouth, but no words came out. The Fearless Psychic stared down at the blonde, confused. A blush covered the boy's face as he gripped his fists together, eyes closed. Come on, Roxas, say it! Just ask him before you can take it back!
"Um, Roxas…?"
"Hey…Um, Cenchax?" the boy asked timidly. He still wouldn't look Cenchax in the eye.
"Yeah?"
Roxas took a deep breath. Then, his face wretch up to look Cenchax in the eye.
"Will…Will you go on a date with me…?"
As Cenchax's heart stopped, his mouth flew open.
Of course he had said 'YES!' without even thinking! What else was he supposed to do? The Key of DESTINY had asked him out on a date! He was too shell-shocked to properly digest the piece of information!
What am I gonna do, what am I gonna do, what am I gonna do…?
He felt his pocket vibrate. This caused him to jump up, yelping in surprise. Sitting upwards, he shoved his hand in his pocket, fishing around for his phone. Pulling it out, he looked to see who it was. His eye widened. It was a text from Roxas! Opening his phone, he looked at the message.
"Hey, Cenchax! 2nite, meet me the ice rink in Ironwater 6. Remember, the place w/ the mall w/ the pettin zoo? c u there!" There was three sets of '…' Followed by a (less than sign) and a 3.
"…(less than sign) 3" The pale boy's cheeks flushed again. He smiled airily. He hit the reply button. Well, at least he knew what to wear now…
And…Just maybe, this won't be a disaster…
(Author's Note: CURSE YOU, FANFICTION! -shakes fist-)
(SPACE)
Roxas hunted through his closet, looking for his blue scarf. Damn, I thought it was up with my hats…! He paused as he felt his cell phone vibrate. A small voice uttered, 'My name's Aerrow, and I'm a Sky Knight…!' He pulled it out and opened it. It was a text from Cenchax! Slightly excited, he opened his phone to see the text.
"Alrite, c u there! (at sign)]-'-,-" It took a few moments for Roxas to realize that Cenchax had sent him a rose. A smile played across his face. (Author's Note: CURSE YOU, FANFICTION!)
(SPACE)
Glancing down at his watch, he looked around, worried. He couldn't see the blonde anywhere, and he was right at the entrance to the outdoor arena of ice. It was 6:04. Was Roxas late? Was he in the wrong place? Maybe he should look for Roxas for a bit…But what if Roxas came out front looking for him while he was away? Wouldn't it be best to just stay here?
He was jolted out of his thoughts when two thin arms wrapped around his waist. "Chencha!" a bubbly voice exclaimed. Immediately, Cenchax knew who it was. No one else called him Chencha. He looked down, eyes wide. Sure enough, it was Roxas who was clamped around his waist.
"There you are!" Cenchax exclaimed. He looked the boy over. He was wearing a light blue coat with a white, wooly lining on the hood, pockets, collar, and sleeves. A light gray zipper ran down it. He wore light blue pants and navy sneakers, along with a blue scarf and fluffy blue earmuffs. In his blue-gloved hands, he held a pair of white ice skates. He wished he had picked an outfit that matched a bit better—he himself was wearing a long black coat made of stiff cotton, maroon pants, and brown sneakers, along with a red scarf and fluffy red earmuffs—but he didn't want Roxas to wait for him to change. Besides, they were both wearing a scarf and fluffy earmuffs…That matched a little, right?
Roxas pulled away, taking in Cenchax's appearance. His cheeks turned rosy. "You look really nice in that…" he commented. Cenchax felt his own face heat up.
"T-Thanks…" he managed. Roxas giggled lightly. With his free hand, he twined his fingers together with Cenchax's black-gloved hand.
"Come on! Let's go get our skates on and get on the ice!" he exclaimed.
After a few moments of getting their skates on—Cenchax were dark gray with red and black assets—Cenchax stepped out onto the ice and raced down the edge, swerving around the few other people who were skating. He sighed, content. The last time he had gone skating was over a year ago…He swerved around the last corner, skidding to a stop when he realized that Roxas hadn't even moved. The boy clung onto the railing where he had started, staring fearfully down on at the ice.
"Huh? What's wrong, dude?" Cenchax asked, skating up to the boy. Roxas looked up at Cenchax bashfully.
"I've never really skated before…" Blushing shyly, he added with a small smile, "I thought you could teach me…"
Cenchax leaned back, cheeks crimson. Teach Roxas to skate…He smiled. Taking Roxas's hand, he murmured, "Alright, come on…"
Slowly, he pulled Roxas out onto the ice. The Key wobbled ungracefully on his skates, not used to standing on a thin steel blade. "All you have to do is keep your balance," Cenchax advised. "Here…" In two fluid motions, he was behind Roxas, holding onto the boy's arms. "Stretch your arms out…"
Roxas gulped nervously. Slowly, he lifted his arms, wobbling back and forth. Cenchax gripped his arms at the elbows. "Don't worry, Rox, I won't let you fall…Now all you have to do, is push your skates outward, and you'll move forward…"
"How…?"
Cenchax went in front of Roxas again. Starting to fall forward, the younger teen's eyes widened. His hands grabbed Cenchax's outstretched arms in order to steady himself. Cenchax smiled gently. He lead Roxas back to the wall to let the blonde steady himself. Then, he went back out. "Like this." Slowly, and making sure Roxas's eyes were on him, he pushed his skates outwards against the ice—right, then left, then right, then left. Slowly, he propelled himself in a circle, closing his eyes as the wind flew past him, chilling his cheeks. Once he had finished, he opened his eyes and glided back to Roxas. He held out his hand. "Wanna give it a try?"
Roxas stared at the black-gloved hand for a moment, then, slowly, he held out an arm. "Okay…" He stood out on the ice again, arms outstretched. Cenchax was right behind him, holding Roxas's arms loosely by the elbows. Roxas pushed out his left leg. He stumbled a bit, faltering slightly. A gasp of surprise escaped his lips. Only Cenchax's arms stopped him from falling, carefully pulling the boy back up again.
"I got you, Roxas, I got you!" Letting Roxas regain his balance, he said, "Take your time…"
Roxas took in another breath. Then, he pushed his left leg out again. He glided forward slightly. Brilliant blue eyes widened. He pushed out his right leg. He kept gliding. He pushed out his left. His right. Left. Right. All the while, Cenchax was right behind him. Arms held out in case Roxas were to fall.
"I'm doing it!" the blonde squeaked. Cenchax let out a little laugh as he skated right behind him, his hands near Roxas's elbows.
"Think you can manage on your own?" Cenchax asked.
In a rush, Roxas yelped, "No, no, no, you can stay there! It's fine, really!"
Cenchax giggled at the boy's sudden consternation. "Alright. I'll be here as long as you need me…"
Roxas suddenly stopped skating, and glided along. He blushed darkly. But I'll always need you…"Even if I wanted to skate forever?" he murmured solemnly.
Slightly confused by the blonde's sudden switch of moods, Cenchax answered, "I'd skate on until I dropped, if you really wanted to…" It was meant to be a joke…
But to Roxas it wasn't. He sighed, and leaned back into Cenchax. Pulling his hands back, he gently grasped Cenchax's arms and wrapped them around his torso, turning his head sideways to keep it against the Fearless Psychic's neck. Cenchax felt his face grow red, his eye widening. He almost fell off of his skates, and he might've, if he wasn't also holding Roxas. He kept them up, staring down at Roxas in amazement. Slowly, the look faded from his face. He pulled Roxas close to him, resting his head on Roxas's. He kept his eye only half open; to make sure they wouldn't crash into anything. Neither of them said anything for a while. They simply slid around on their skates, Cenchax guiding their every movement, oblivious to the world around them. The mocha-eyed boy's chest felt like it was about to burst with his love for Roxas. Every molecule in his body seemed to be buzzing with the joy of being this close to Roxas. He felt no need to get any closer, nor did he feel the need to worry about staying this close to Roxas for too long. He was content just where he was.
Eventually, however, Roxas slowly opened his eyes. "Chencha?" he murmured.
"Hmm?" Cenchax asked, pulling away from Roxas to look down at the boy.
"Can I try…Skating on my own?" Roxas asked, a determined look in his eyes. Cenchax smiled.
"Of course," he responded with. He released Roxas, only keeping his hand out in case Roxas needed to regain his balance. The blonde was a bit unstable at first, staggering on his skates. He snatched Cenchax's hand for balance, almost dragging the two of the to the ice at one moment. Cenchax couldn't help himself. He started laughing at Roxas's struggles to stay on his skates. Finally, Roxas managed to stand up straight on his legs, though he quivered from time to time.
"It's easier to stay up by moving…" Cenchax advised. Roxas nodded. Not releasing Cenchax's hand, he moved himself slowly forward. Cenchax guided his movements, watching the blue-eyed teen as he moved. Suddenly, Roxas's head flew up.
"Cenchax?"
"What?"
"How do I stop?"
Cenchax stared at the blonde. Then, bluntly, he said, "You don't."
Roxas faltered, arms flailing madly as he tried to stay up. "WHAT?" he shrieked, horrified. Cenchax started laughing again, snatching Roxas under the shoulders to steady him.
"Whoa, whoa, Roxas, I was kidding!" Cenchax chuckled as Roxas managed to regain his balance. The Key glared at Cenchax, trying not to let his blush show.
"Jerk!" he snapped, embarrassed by his panic attack.
Cenchax smirked at him. "All you have to do to stop is drag your skate like this…" He released Roxas and skated off, gaining acceleration. When he looped around, nearing Roxas, he slowly skidded to a halt, careful not to shower anyone with slush. Then, he skated over to Roxas. The boy nodded. He started skating forward again. Cenchax looped around in front of him, skating around Roxas in circles. Every once in a while, he'd spin around to skate backwards around his friend for a bit. Roxas glared at him.
"Why do you make it look so easy?" the boy grumbled. Cenchax let out a little laugh.
"Practice!" Suddenly, Cenchax was aware of another person skating nearby. He skidded to a stop. He turned to face Roxas, only to find that the blonde was flying right at him. His eye widened.
"Roxas, stop!" he exclaimed, staring at into the boy's fretting blue eyes.
"I can't!"
Before Cenchax could move, the blonde was already bowling him over. They tumbled to the ice, falling down into a heap. Roxas went limp on top of Cenchax, who winced as his body was crushed by Roxas's. They lay on the ice for a few moments, groaning in pain. Then, they looked at each other's face. It was quite for all of a second. Then, they burst out laughing.
"Opps…!" Roxas giggled.
"Hey, we all fall on our butts at least once, dude!" With that, Roxas managed to maneuver himself off of Cenchax, careful not to hit the boy with his ice skates. Cenchax quickly regained his footing. He offered Roxas a hand. "Need help?"
Roxas smiled, taking Cenchax's hand. With a grunt of effort, Cenchax brought Roxas onto his feet, steadying the boy. "Ready to try again?" Cenchax asked.
Roxas nodded vigorously. He slowly started skating, trying to stay in open spaces, and to avoid other people. Learning from his mistakes, Cenchax stayed beside Roxas, skating around gracefully in comparison to Roxas's wobbly gate. Several times, Roxas tried to stop. Several times, he ended up on the ice. If he learned anything from that experience, it was how to stand up on the ice and not fall down again, which took several tries, and a few bouts of laughter.
Finally, after his latest fall, Roxas started looking drowsy. "I'm tired of falling on my butt…" he muttered. "Can we be done now…?"
Cenchax graced the boy with one of his dazzling smiles. "Of course…" He led Roxas off the ice, over to their shoes. They took their time getting out of their skates, letting their sore feet rest for a bit before cramming them into their shoes. They sat on the bench for a while, sitting in silence.
"Well…Now what?" Cenchax asked, gazing over at Roxas. Roxas pondered over this for a moment. Since he hadn't exactly believed he was actually going on the date, he hadn't really planned anything else…He looked around for a few moments. His eyes locked onto a small store nearby, where people crowded around, holding steaming cups and small baked goods, fresh out of the ovens. He could smell the aromas, and could already feel the warm chocolate sliding down his throat, warming his chest…
He looked up at Cenchax. "Why don't we get some hot chocolate?" he asked.
"Alright." The two stood up and began to make their way over. On their way over, Cenchax's eye traveled down to Roxas's left hand, swinging right next to his right hand. Lightly he blushed. Should he…?
Well, Roxas DID ask me out on a date…Insides squirming nervously; he gently wrapped his lean fingers around Roxas's large hand. Roxas gripped onto it, his small grin widening. He didn't look at Cenchax, nor did he say anything, but the squeeze he gave Cenchax's hand was enough to tell Cenchax all he needed to know. They walked up to the small white shack.
"Two hot chocolates please," Roxas ordered, using his other hand to hold up two fingers. He fished into his pocket and pulled out some money. After paying for their cocoa and receiving it, they walked off to the side to get out of the way, sipping it contently.
"Why don't we walk around town?" Cenchax suggested, seeing that Roxas was lost. "It's not Christmas yet, but I'm sure they have some decorations set up!"
"Alright!" With that, they boys set off, cups of hot chocolate in one hand, a hand in the other. They walked around for a good deal of time, looking from shop to shop, pointing out some good Christmas presents, or observing an interesting decoration or two on a store. They passed around several extravagantly decorated Christmas trees, though none could compare to the one they set up each year in the Castle; grown by Marly and decorated mainly by Demyx, it was easily the largest and most eye-popping tree Christmas had yet to see.
Roxas suddenly paused, eyes growing wide. "Chencha, look!" he exclaimed, pointing over to his right, almost dropping his cup. Cenchax's eyes travelled over to where Roxas was pointing. A black horse carriage decorated with poinsettias sat on the side of the road, the driver stroking and talking to the two dapple gray horses sitting in front. Cenchax smiled down at Roxas.
"You want to go for a ride, don't you?"
"YES!" The boy started bouncing slightly in anticipation, eyes pleading.
Cenchax laughed lightly. "Alright, alright, let's go!" They deposited their nearly-empty cups into a waste basket nearby. They walked up to the carriage man, and paid him to drive around town for a good twenty minutes. They sat in the back of the carriage, viewing more Christmas decorations.
Roxas leaned against Cenchax, snuggling close to the boy. "This is fun…" he murmured, closing his eyes. Cenchax jumped at first, startled. After his first initial shock, he looked down at the boy. A grin found its way across his face. He placed his head on top of Roxas's head.
"It is…" was all he managed to say. He was too choked up for words. This was all too much. Roxas was on a date with him. This was really happening…
Roxas felt the nervous squirming of his insides act up again. Should I say it now? What better place than sitting in a horse-drawn carriage around Christmas time? It wasn't all that private, but it sure seemed romantic…
The Fearless Psychic's eye opened in surprise as he felt something cold tap onto his nose. He opened his eye to focus on it, only to realize it had melted into a water droplet. He looked up at the sky, excited.
"Cenchax…" Roxas whispered. "I love you…" Unfortunately, his words were drowned out by Cenchax shouting. "Roxas, it's snowing!"
Roxas's eyes flew open. He sat up, looking around. Sure enough, fluffy white clusters fell from the sky, falling lightly to the ground to melt into water droplets. Not enough was falling to coat everything, but it sure looked pretty. Roxas smiled, looking back at Cenchax expectantly, waiting for Cenchax's answer. The boy looked at him, eyes wide. When Roxas continued to eagerly stare at him, the black-haired boy cocked his head to the side. "Roxas?"
The blonde frowned. Had Cenchax not heard? He sighed. Maybe he'd get another romantic chance later. It wasn't like he could recreate that moment in the carriage ride.
He finally shook his head. "It's nothing…" he muttered, cheeks slightly pink. But it's also everything…Cenchax hesitated, then leaned back against the seat, staring at the flakes falling from the sky. The carriage suddenly came to a halt.
"Sorry, folks, time's up!" the man exclaimed. Cenchax stepped out of the carriage, holding out his hand to help Roxas down. Once they were on the ground, they walked off to the side. Roxas suppressed a shiver. With the snow, the air had suddenly turned colder around them.
"Think we can pop into the mall over there?" he asked, indicating the building nearby. "It's a bit colder out now…"
"Sure!" Cenchax took Roxas's hand, still trying to get used to the fact that he could just hold it whenever he wanted. They walked side by side to the door, opening it. Inside the mall wasn't much warmer, but with their coats and scarves, they felt perfectly fine. They walked around from store to store, occasionally popping into one of the stores to look at this or that, still purchasing nothing. Suddenly, out of the corner, he saw something black and fluffy. He jerked himself to a stop. Cenchax paused, seeing that Roxas was distracted. Roxas swerved his head around, but he couldn't see the black thing fully.
"Hey, Cenchax…Can we go into the store here?" he asked.
Seeing that Roxas wouldn't be leaving until he discovered what had caught his eye. Cenchax shrugged. "Sure, why not?"
Roxas lead him into the store to the left, looking for the black thing that had caught his attention. The corner of the room was just a wall of plush toys from all sorts of anime series, most that Cenchax couldn't identify. But there was only one that Roxas had his eyes on. It was a shadow Heartless cuddling a little paopu fruit. The Key of Destiny let out a little shrill of joy. "Oh my GOD, it's so CUTE…!" He picked it up and searched for a price tag. "Nineteen ninety five…" he muttered under his breath. He placed the plush toy reluctanty back down. The blonde then crammed his hands into his pocket to pull out what little money had left. He counted it quickly. His shoulders slumped. "AW! I don't have enough…!" He placed the money back in his pocket and stared at the plushie. "It's so cute…"
Cenchax looked down at Roxas. He looked so disappointed…"You really want it that much?"
"SO BAD!" Roxas exclaimed. "But they'll run out of stock before I have enough to buy it!"
Cenchax turned the tag around. Only about twenty dollars…"I've got enough…I'll buy it for you…"
Roxas whipped his head around, his eyes full of adoration. "Really?" he exclaimed.
"Well…" Cenchax added in a joking manner, "If you give me a little kiss…"
Obviously, Roxas hadn't realized it was a joke. He jumped up and down several times, letting out a happy squeal. He threw his arms around Cenchax's shoulders, causing the boy to jump, stooping down. "THANK YOU CENCHAX!" Roxas cried. He tilted his head and pressed his lips against the boy's cheek for a solid three seconds. Pulling away, he stood nuzzling Cenchax for a time, murmuring, "You're the best!"
Cenchax was frozen on the spot, staring down at Roxas with a dark blush. His heart pounded so fast, he was sure that he was suffering from internal bleeding. Before he could say another word, Roxas grabbed the plushie and his hand, dragging him to the counter. "Come on!"
Stumbling, Cenchax managed his way over to the counter in a haze, barely conscious enough to hand the cashier the correct amount of money. They walked out of the store, Roxas snuggling with his plushie. He sat down on the bench outside the store, Cenchax placing himself beside Roxas, still in a slight trance.
"Thank you thank you thank you…!" Roxas kept saying over and over again. Cenchax managed to react this time. He smiled down at the boy with affectionate eyes.
"If it makes you happy, then I'm happy…" He started rubbing the back of his neck, blushing. "I was just kidding around with the 'kiss me' thing, though…"
Roxas paused from rocking back and forth with extra enthusiasm. He blushed. "Oh…Well…" he murmured sheepishly. "I-It seemed like an appropriate way to say 'Thank You'…"
Cenchax rubbed the cheek that Roxas's lips had pressed against, turning away briefly. "Trust me…" he murmured under his breath. "It was perfect…"
"Hmm?"
"Um, nothing!" Cenchax looked around for a clock, desperate to keep his eye away from Roxas's questioning gaze. The clock nearby said that it was a quarter past eight. He knew that he and Roxas had to be back at the Castle around ten, so they still had over an hour to spend out.
"Wanna snag a bite to eat?" Cenchax asked. "That hot chocolate wasn't exactly filling, and I didn't eat dinner…"
"Anything you want!" Roxas exclaimed, having returned to nuzzling his Heartless plushie. Cenchax smiled. He stood up.
"Be right back, dude. I'm gonna go look for a map of the mall…" he explained. Roxas didn't reply. He just kept hugging his plushie, a viciously happy smile on his face. Seeing Roxas that happy made Cenchax walk with a slight bounce in his step, a smile glued onto his face.
Turns out, there was a small restaurant on the other side of the mall called, 'Stars In Your Eyes.' He walked back over to Roxas and stood the boy up. He started walk over to the restaurant, only to suddenly stumble as his arm was assaulted by a mass of white and blue. Eye widening, he stared down at Roxas, who had his arms wrapped around his right arm. A blush covered his pale face.
"You're such a wonderful person, Chencha…!" Roxas praised, obviously not done thanking Cenchax yet. Cenchax's lips tugged upwards, and remained that way to the bank, where Cenchax withdrew some more money for dinner, and all the way to the restaurant. It stayed there until they were seated at their table, sitting next to each other in the booth. And even then, it hardly disappeared, only dulled down a bit. Roxas placed his plushie to the side, in order to not spill anything on him.
"I think I should name it…Johnny!" Roxas exclaimed.
Cenchax snorted. "You're already naming it?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Roxas asked, giving Cenchax a playful glare.
"You're 15!"
"It's not like I'm getting any older!"
Cenchax chuckled. "Guess you got me there…"
They ended up ordering a Pepsi and a Mountain Dew, a small garden salad, a four cheese lasagna, and a New York streak. They ended up sharing their food, giggling as they fed it to one another. Cenchax mentally recorded the entire thing in his mind, sitting so close to Roxas; sharing food, casually chatting…It was just the little things that made him feel more complete.
He was disappointed that they didn't get any pasta to share; he wasn't confident enough to kiss the boy, but if they were to accidentally share a piece…Then again, he admitted to himself that it was far too cliché, and was probably the worst way to kiss Roxas. It wasn't like they hadn't kissed before; they had been dared in the past to kiss one another, not to mention several other occasions where their lips had pressed against each other, like when they had been stuck in the Tunnel of Love, and that one time on Valentine's Day. But this would've been the first time they had ever kissed on a date…
He shook his head, the red tips of his covered eyes briefly dancing over his face. What was he thinking? Kissing on the first date? That was too much for him. No, just being able to hold Roxas's hand and press close against him was enough.
They left after paying the bill, not asking for dessert. The clock now said that it was ten past nine. He was about to ask Roxas what to do next when Roxas asked, "Wanna take a walk in the park?"
"Sure," This time, Roxas took Cenchax's hand, leading him out of the building and into the chilly air outside. They walked around on the new carpet of snow, watching the stars flicker in and out of site. The clouds crossed over the sky rather quickly, occasionally dropping small clusters of snowflakes. They walked on to the local park, padding down the cobblestone pathway, with nothing but the lamp light to guide them.
Roxas considered saying it again. Pine trees surrounding them, lamplight filling the area, alone, with the night sky just barely visible through the branches of the trees…It seemed like a great time to say it.
"Can we sit down for a bit?" Roxas asked. "My full stomach's making me tired…"
Cenchax nodded. They sat on one of the iron benches nearby, taking in the scenery. Then, Roxas turned his head to Cenchax, sucking in a deep breath. Well…Here I go…
"Hey, Cenchax…"
"Hmm? What?" Cenchax asked, turning his head to Roxas. Roxas paused, his stomach squirming. The way the lights bounced off of him made him jittery…
"W-Well…I've been meaning to say it for a while, but I never got around to it…" Roxas murmured, staring down at his lap.
"Yeah…?"
Roxas pressed up to Cenchax, feeling slightly consoled by the body heat passing between the two. He looked up at Cenchax. "Cenchax…—" Before he could manage another word, a police siren sounded in the distance. It was a rather ordinary sound, but being tense as he was, it caused Roxas to jump away, whipping around to see where the noise was coming from. When he concluded that it was nowhere near them, and wasn't a threat, he sighed, turning back to Cenchax. It dawned on him that he was almost sitting on top of the older Nobody, and him turning his head had caused their faces to press uncomfortably close to each other. Both boys stared, wide-eyed, at one another for a while.
"Oh, what the heck…" Roxas whispered. He leaned in and planted a kiss on Cenchax's lips, cuddling close to him. He felt Cenchax's lips press against his as he returned the kiss. Roxas felt his mind melt at the tingling sensation in his heart he was getting from kissing Cenchax. He wrapped his arms around Cenchax's neck, while Cenchax's hands travelled down to his waist. An electrifying current travelled through the two as they remained in place, eyes closed, lips against each other, feelings flying.
Finally, they pulled away from each other, staring in shock at one another. Without saying another word, they dragged their arms away and turned away, blushing furiously. Their first date kiss…The air was too full of tension for Roxas to even consider telling Cenchax how he felt. He sighed, slouching down against his knees. Cenchax leaned back, staring up into the stars, trying to convince himself that this was actually happening. On the first date.
"Um…Cenchax?"
Said boy looked down at Roxas. "We probably should be getting home now…"
"Ah! Oh, uh…Yeah…" Cenchax murmured, still a little zoned. Roxas summoned up a portal and the two walked through, to find themselves in the middle of the hallway leading to their rooms. They walked side by side to their doors, Roxas with his left hand around Johnny. They stopped and turned to face each other, smiling.
"I had a great time…" Roxas murmured.
"I had an amazing time…" Cenchax muttered, flushing slightly. Maybe we can do it again? He wanted to say those words, but felt like they shouldn't have to be said, so soon after their first date.
First date…
"Well…See you tomorrow…"
Not giving himself time to think the decision through, Cenchax leaned down and lifted up Roxas's bangs. He pecked the boy lightly on the forehead. "See you…" He ruffled the blonde's hair, smiling. "You're so cute when you blush…" Before Roxas could say another word, he was already opening the door to his room, and closed it behind him. He slumped against it, sighing dreamily. He felt like he was going to pass out from lovesickness.
Roxas lifted his hand and felt under his bangs, still blushing lightly. He smiled after Cenchax. He turned into his room, and sat on his bed, reliving the entire night.
It was only then that he realized that he had never gotten the chance to tell Cenchax how he felt.
He groaned in aggravation, placing his head in his hands. Leaning against his bed, he opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling. He lay there for a while, cursing himself for being such an idiot, then just to stare blankly at the ceiling. Suddenly, he sat up. It occurred to him that, if he couldn't admit that he loved Cenchax THIS time…Well, he'd just have to do it next time! He smiled at himself, heart fluttering. Maybe we can go see a movie…
He picked up his cell phone, and sent Cenchax a text message.
"2nd date? Next tues the Optical Theater after dinner, 'Vampires Suck'? :)"
He pressed 'Send'.
'Message sent!'
THE END
(SPACE)
A few end notes:
The plushie scene is partially based off a true story, but I didn't get the plushie...And there wasn't anyone to kiss...:(
YES Roxas has a Storm Hawks ringtone. Because I said so. :3
Poor Roxas...I never let him admit it, do I? XD
I REALLY don't like dinner scenes. :| I just don't. I like the idea of them feeding each other...Just, not anything else.
And, finally, I REALLY WANT TO SEE THAT MOVIE. :D
But, yeah, this is how one of their first dates would play out. I wanted there to be a few more kissing scenes, but...It just didn't work out, you know?
I AM IN A HUGE HAPPY MOOD NOTHING CAN RAIN ON MY PARADE except maybe a thundercloud...
~Cat's Eye