Disclaimer: Still don't own anything...never will. I just own the plot...
This may suck suck, so be nice. Flames will be used to bake my cookies. The name of the band and the cars Axel and Roxas drive were thought up by mizzsheldon. Go check her out...now. This story is dedicated to her. :D
"Roxas
"Roxas! Hurry up! We are gonna be late!" Sora tapped his foot and checked his watch as he waited for his older brother to come downstairs. His brother, Roxas, was supposedly getting ready for the concert they were supposed to be leaving for in…8 minutes and 32 seconds ago.
"Rox, I am serious! Riku will kill me if I'm not there!" he blew an exasperated sigh. His brother could be so pig headed at times.
"Jeez, hold your horses, I'm right here. Sheesh!" Sora jerked his head toward the stairs where his brother had finally come into view, and he did not look happy.
With his arms crossed, Roxas glared at his brother. "I don't see why I have to go see your boyfriend's band play at a coffee house."
Sora just shook his head. "You have to come because I am tired of watching you mope around and just harp at the world because you broke up with Namine." He grinned. "Plus, they're really good."
"Whatever." Roxas walked past Sora and out the front door, not waiting to see if Sora was following him. He unlocked his red Porsche 356b and climbed into the drivers seat. He raised his eyebrows at his brother who was still standing in the doorway. "You coming or what? I thought we were late." Sora huffed in indignation and closed and locked the front door of their house. He jogged to the car and threw himself into the passenger seat, narrowly making it. The minute the door had opened, Roxas had hit the gas.
"Jeez, watch it will yah." Sora crossed his arms and glared at his brother, the latter of which just smirked. "You said you wanted to get their fast, so we are going to get there fast." He accelerated quickly, sending his newly restored car flying.
Almost ten minutes later, the brothers pulled into the parking lot of the Java Jam, the local coffee house and hot spot. A sign in front of the building announced that the band, Bound for the Night, would be playing that evening from 8 to 9. Sora glanced at his watch, 7:56. 'Okay so we aren't as early as they would have liked but we aren't late,' he thought to himself. He turned to look at Roxas. The blonde was obviously not happy. He was leaning against the hood of his car, glaring at the doors to the café.
"Rox, hey Roxas!" he paused until the boy turned to him. "Why are you so grumpy tonight?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe its because this café is where me and Namine broke up?" he raised his left eyebrow, his glare now directed at his eighteen year old brother.
Sora mentally smacked himself in the head. 'Ugh, I should have remembered that.' He shrugged at his brother sheepishly. "Well look at it this way, now you can get over it by having fun at a place that was previously not fun." He smiled at his brother, hoping he wouldn't get mad at Sora's lapse of memory.
Roxas just shrugged and pulled away from the hood and walked through the front door with a mumbled, "If you say so." Sora sighed and followed his brother inside, gazing up at the heavens wearing that infamous 'why me, God, why me' look.
The interior of the café was light and warm. The wood counters and tables were a golden pine with polished chairs. The whole building was bathed in a soft yellow glow. To one side was a counter where orders were placed and to the other side, was a small stage, currently playing host to a gleaming black drum set, glossy blue electric guitar and black keyboard with gleaming ebony and ivory keys. Three mics were set up as well as several amps and speakers.
Sora and Roxas bypassed all the other people crowded into the floor space and headed toward the door that read 'Employees Only'. Sora turned to grin at Roxas, "Backstage is the best thing ever, plus, since I am boyfriend to one gorgeous drummer, we don't have to pay like you would for a normal concert."
"You don't have to pay anyway, this isn't a real concert," Roxas grumbled. Sora paused with his hand on the door handle. He turned to look at his brother.
"Do you have to be so negative?"
Roxas just shrugged and shoved past Sora, pushing open the door. He immediately wished that he had let Sora go first. He was shoved to the side as a whirlwind of silver ran and pulled Sora into a hug. Sora returned Riku's the hug with just as much enthusiasm before pulling his mouth down for a tender kiss.
Roxas felt himself falling backwards before he hit something solid. The force of it bounced him forward and he felt himself start to fall. As he brought his arms up to catch himself, he felt a strong arm wrap around his chest and heard a velvet voice in his ear.
"Hey, watch it there." Roxas whirled around in the iron grasp surrounding him. He found himself staring into the most mesmerizing emerald green eyes he had ever seen. Green eyes that happened to belong to Bound for the Night's twenty-year-old lead singer and keyboardist Axel.
"Roxas? Hey Roxas," Axel waved the arm that wasn't around the blonde in front of Roxas' face. "Hey guys, I think he passed out with his eyes open."
"Huh, ugh, what?" Roxas blinked his eyes and refocused them. Again he saw those green luminescent eyes. The next thing he saw was the Cheshire grin pasted on Axel's face as he looked down at Roxas.
"Ah, never mind, the blonde beauty speaks!" He released his hold on the blonde, spinning him around to face his brother and Riku. Both were laughing. Roxas glared at them before seating himself on the couch lining one wall.
Axel seated himself on the chair next to the couch and started leafing through sheet music on his lap, mouthing words to song that Roxas didn't know. Riku looked down at Sora as he held him in his arms.
Riku pasted a pout on his face. "Why were late? You're usually here at least a half an hour early."
Sora sent a withering glance at Roxas. "Somebody didn't get their act together in time. He sat sulking in his room until he decided to grace me with his presence, 9 minutes late." Roxas looked up from his lap to glare at his bother.
"You could have left without me."
"I told you before, I am sick of you sulking all day."
Roxas rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm sorry I'm not a little ball of perpetual sunshine like you."
Sora's face hardened, "Sorry for caring about my brother. You know…"
Sora was interrupted by the door being yanked open and a blonde boy pushing his way in. "Hey, Riku, Axel! We are on in like a minute! Get your asses out on stage!"
Axel heaved himself into a standing position. "Alright Demyx, chill. We will be right there." He walked over to where Sora was giving Riku a good luck kiss. Axel rolled his eyes and grabbed Riku's arm, dragging him out the door.
"Good luck, Riku!" Sora called. "You too Axel," he added when he heard the expectant grunt the red head made in the back of his throat. The two boys disappeared around the corner and onto the stage. He grinned back over at Roxas, his former steel gone. "Come on! We gotta get out there and cheer them on!" He grabbed his brother's arm and dragged him out the door and into the main room.
The lights had dimmed to a cool blue, with spotlights aimed at the stage. The crowd cheered as Axel ran on stage and grabbed one of the mics.
"Heellooo Java Jam! Are you ready to be rocked, amazed, dazzled, mystified-"
"Axel, get on with it!" Axel glared off stage where Demyx's voice had come from.
"Anyway, here we are, Bound for the Night!" At his last words, Demyx and Riku ran on stage, accompanied by cacophonous cheering from the crowd.
Riku took up his position behind the drums, but not before sending a discreet wink at Sora. Demyx came to stand behind the other mic, taking hold of the beautiful ocean blue electric guitar on his way. Axel moved a few steps to the right where he came to stand behind the keyboard. The three shared a look and Demyx started the countdown.
"One two three four…" and they started playing and Axel started singing.
Sweet Jesus I'm on fire
He has the sweetest, lightest eyes
And when it comes into his eyes
I know iron and steel couldn't hold me
But god I'm easy bruised
But so often a moth to his flame
And the things that he's asked me to do
Would see a senior saint
Forgetting his name
Demyx and Riku picked up the chorus and added their tones to the mix.
I have an audience with the pope
And I'm saving the world at 8
But if he says he needs me, he says he needs me
Everybody's gonna have to wait
Where could he be?
Was that a minute or an hour?
Where could he be?
He turns the hours into days.
Kill me phone, cover the cage
And wait for the doorbell to ring
Where could he be?
No he won't come running
Where could he be?
The world is turning at his pace.
Kill me phone, cover the cage
And wait for the doorbell to ring
As the song came to an end, Axel sang alone again, his silken voice slipping through the crowd like a snake.
I have an audience with the pope
And I'm saving the world at 8
But if he says he needs me, he says he needs me
Everybody's gonna have to wait
They struck the last chord and the room exploded. Applause came from everywhere and anywhere, drowning out any other song. Sora was cheering ecstatically as well, punching his fist into the air repeatedly.
Roxas, on the other hand, was another case entirely.
Axel's voice was amazing. From the minute he had started to sing, Roxas had been glued to his spot. The voice coming from the speakers had been so clear and pure it had shocked Roxas. Even when the others had picked up singing, he had only focused on that one that held him transfixed. What had him really throw for a loop was that Axel had a very hard, edgy look and air about him with his tight jeans, sleeveless hoodie-vest, red eyeliner and three little silver hoops in his left ear, but his voice portrayed a much gentler person.
The man onstage seemed to have seen his staring and sent a wink his way. Roxas shook his head, sending his blonde spikes flying and put his usual scowl in place. Girls on all sides began squealing; each one positive that Axel's wink had been for her. Axel chuckle, 'Ah, if only they knew.'
Axel's grin just grew in size as they started their second song.
When nine finally came around, rather than the crowds get smaller as people left the café, the crowd nearly doubled in size. With a final 'Thank you and good night' the band left the stage and the lights in the café returned to normal, once again bathing the building in a honey glow. Sora immediately began pushing his way back to the 'Employees Only' door. Not wanting to be left alone amidst the crowd, Roxas had no choice but to follow his brother.
When they reached the door they could hear laughter from within. The brothers exchanged a look and pushed open the door. The reason for the senseless laughter was soon found out. Roxas cracked a grin but Sora looked displeased.
In the middle of the room was a six-pack of beer. Demyx and Riku both had one in hand. Axel had appeared to have finished his first can and was working in his second from the looks of him. They were all laughing at apparently nothing and Roxas couldn't help but start to laugh along with them. Sora, however, marched into the room and grabbed the former six-pack and threw it in the garbage can. Then walking up to each individual member of the band, he grabbed the drink out of their hands so it could join the others in the trash.
Axel looked at his empty hand with hurt eyes. "Hey, where's my drink?" Riku and Demyx echoed his complaint.
"Your drinks are in the trash where they belong." He grabbed Riku's arm in his left hand and Demyx's in his other. He pulled them out of the room and from there out of the building. Axel and Roxas just looked at each other with bewildered expressions.
After a slow few seconds, Axel's eyes started to turn up and a smile danced around the corners o his lips. Roxas' grin grew in turn. 'His eyes just seem to dance when he smiles…it's so…beautiful,' Roxas thought as he watched the red haired boy.
"Roxas, Axel, hurry up!" Sora yelled from outside the door. Roxas shook his head a bit and looked up to meet Axel's gaze.
"We better go and catch up with Sora and the others. We don't need the anger of the Almighty Sora on our heads."
Walking out the door and through the café, they were bombarded with people wanting to talk to Axel, get close to Axel, or get his autograph. Roxas surprised himself by glaring at anyone who got too close. He didn't want anyone to get in the way of his Axel time.
'Wait, what?' He shook his head. 'His Axel time? Where had that come from' He trained his stare at the redhead beside him, swarmed with girls yet again. When he saw a girl take a picture with him then kiss his cheek, he felt an un-named fury well up inside him, like a fiery monster clawing at his stomach to get out. His eyes popped open when he realized what it was.
Jealousy.
Plain and simple.
He looked up at Axel again. Catching his eye, he made a motion towards the door, hurrying Axel along. When Axel winked and nodded, Roxas felt as thought he had floated up to cloud nine. A warmth settled in his chest, the monster leaving. He finally had to admit it.
He was in like with the redhead singing wonder boy.
What was not to like? He had a mane of blinding red hair that screamed notice me. He had malachite cat eyes that saw through to your soul and a body of a god. Roxas shook his head and almost ran to the door, waiting outside in the cool air.
He saw Sora pushing Riku and Demyx into Roxas' car. Lovely, he had to drive them all somewhere. He turned back to the café, looking in wonder at the door. How much had changed. He had broken up with a girlfriend inside these very doors, and now he had discovered potential boyfriend material. He laughed at the absurdity of it all, gently clinging to a chair for support.
Axel was fed up. Scratch that, more than fed up. While he was stuck with some happy go lucky, way to touchy, squealing girls, Roxas left the coffee shop. He wanted nothing more than to talk to the blonde, tell him how much he liked him. How he always had, ever since they first met when he started the band.
As he tried to wrench himself free of the crowd of fans, he thought back to that day, the first time he had seen his Angel.
Riku and Sora had always been friends, so of course, Sora had to be there when the band was formed. He may have been in it, if not for his lack of talent related to anything musical. So he opted to listen and watch. One of those practices, he brought along his older brother. Why, Axel had no idea.
Anyway, when Roxas had come in the doorway to Demyx's house (where they held rehearsals in his garage) his brain had imploded.
It had been two years ago to the day that he had first set his eyes on the blonde. He had gaped as he took in his unruly golden hair that shone like a little sun. His blue eyes were such a clear, deep blue and they truly were the windows to the soul. His frame was small and lean and, and just perfect.
Axel had caught himself and stopped staring, but truly never took his eyes off the blonde. When he had tried to talk to him, Roxas had been indifferent and slightly wary, kind of like he didn't want to get to know him at all.
Axel frowned. They never had really become friends. The blonde just didn't seem to like him very much and it annoyed him to no end.
With a grunt, he finally escaped to the door. He pulled it open only to see Roxas.
"Hey."
The boy looked up and smiled. "Hey. You're alive."
Axel put a hand to the back of his neck. "Barely. I thought I was going to be killed in there." Roxas just nodded. As Axel opened his mouth to say more, Sora called over.
"Guys, hurry up. We are going to In-n-Out for a celebration!"
Roxas raised an eyebrow. "We aren't all going to fit in my car you know."
Sora's eyes widened. "Oh, right. I forgot. Um, you and Axel can go in his car then." He smiled and dashed back to Roxas' car. He climbed into the drivers seat and put his hands on the wheel. He pressed the brake so he could shift into drive. When nothing happened, he looked up. Puzzled.
Roxas leaned on the car door, dangling keys. "Forget something?" How Sora had gotten his license, he did not know.
He tossed the keys in and the car sped off. He turned to Axel. "Lead the way."
Axel grinned and shoved his hands in his pockets, walking to the back of the building where his car was parked. He walked over to a 54 Chevy 3100 pick up. It was a shiny red like his and looked as though it had been lovingly cared for.
Roxas whistled, "Nice ride."
Axel grinned. "Yeah. It runs like a dream." He unlocked the doors. "Well, get in. We better get going if we want there to any food left when we get there."
He smiled and Roxas smiled. They both got in the car.
Five minutes later found them at the local In-N-Out. After parking the car, they made their way to doors and walked inside. The place was bare except for the loud trio sitting by a window, a mountain of food already present in front of them.
Roxas and Axel placed their orders and when their food arrived, went to sit with the others.
They talked about the concert and just about anything else. Roxas was aware that Axel kept looking at him. He felt flattered and just a little embarrassed. He hadn't put that much effort into his clothes, wearing only faded jeans, a blue shirt with white lining on the neckline and sleeves. His hair was unruly as ever, sticking up in spikes.
When they had all eaten their fill, the boys all voted that they go to the movies for a late night showing. They walked across the street to the theater and ordered their tickets. Riku, Sora and Demyx walked to the counter to buy food and drinks while Axel and Roxas stayed outside in the crisp night air.
They were leaning against a wall, Axel looking at the ground and Roxas, at the moon.
"Do you believe in angels?"
Axel looked up at his companion, startled by the abrupt question. "I guess. Why?"
"Just curious. Do you believe that everyone had an angel sent just for them to watch out for them?"
"Yeah. Something has to be keeping all of us stupid humans alive." He slid along the wall so he was closer to the blonde, their hands almost touching. "I believe that angels don't always have to look like angels." His hand found Roxas' wrist and he began to caress the soft skin hidden there.
Roxas looked up at him, question filling his sky blue eyes. "Really?" He leaned in closer and looked into those cat like jade eyes, feeling that warmth bubble up in his chest again.
"Yup. I believe some angels have spiky gold hair and blue blue eyes." He stared tight back at Roxas. He lowered his head and softly pressed his lips against the blondes. He could feel the smile on Roxas' face as he kissed him back. Roxas reached his arms up and threaded his fingers through Axel's vibrant red hair. As the kiss deepened, Axel's arms wrapped his arms around the slight blonde.
When their lips separated, Roxas slid his arms down to encircle Axel's neck. Axel tightened his grip around the other boy. In response, Roxas snuggled against his chest.
"I've wanted to do that for so long," Axel murmured into Roxas' golden hair. Roxas just hummed into his chest.
"Roxas! Axel! Where are you?"
The two jerked apart at Sora's voice pierced the night air, ruining their moment.
"There you are! The movies about to start." He grabbed their hands and ushered them through the door. They found their theater and just made it to their seats when the opening credits started.
Axel and Roxas were seated next to each other. They each tried to claim the armrest. Axel solved the problem quickly by grasping his hand and twining their fingers together. Roxas smiled and Axel's eyes warmed as the opening song to The Dark Knight began to play.
As the movie progressed, Roxas felt himself falling more and more in like with the red head. He laughed at all the right parts during the movie and his laugh was as warm as his personality.
As the movie scrolled into the ending credits, Axel began to sing into Roxas' ear so only he could hear.
"Earth angel, earth angel
Will you be mine?
My darling love, love you all the time
I'm just a fool, a fool in love with you"
When his voice drifted off, Axel leaned over and whispered into Roxas' ear.
"Who needs a Dark Knight when you can have your own Angel on Earth." He pressed a soft kiss to Roxas' nose before finding his lips. Roxas blushed and leaned up to kiss Axel.
As Axel kissed back and reached behind Roxas' neck to pull him closer, Roxas thought about what had happened. If Sora had not forced him to go to the concert, he never would have realized he had fallen in like with Axel and he would still be moping around about Namine.
They pulled apart and Roxas rested his head on Axel's shoulder. As he ran his fingers through Roxas' soft hair, Axel smiled to himself. He would have to thank Sora one of these days. Without him, he and his Angel may have never found each other.
Please review. I'd love to get better at writing...so any suggestions will make me happy.