Author's Note: This story was written by me, Peachy. This is an extended version of the scene "Rain" from my last AkuRoku fanfic, "It's Always You". This is dedicated to littlexsunshine because she left a very nice review asking me to extend "Rain" into its own oneshot…and she has a fanfic titled "Supernova" which is a wonderfully written AkuRoku oneshot and I highly recommend it to all AkuRoku fans. It made me cry, so I had to write this in thanks.
Thanks to Purewhite, as always, for her editing and support. You can blame her for the grocery store scene. ;P
I hope you enjoy it! Reviews are, as always, greatly appreciated!
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Rain
--
"Say that again." Roxas said, arching an eyebrow and adjusting a strap of his backpack.
It was three o'clock in the afternoon, and the final school bell had long since rung. The mad dash of students en route to the parking lot had trickled down to the last handfuls of stragglers, and the noise level had died down to scattered bits of quiet chatter.
Axel and Roxas stood face-to-face in front of the brick wall that was the front of their high school. A cool spring breeze ruffled pieces of loose clothing and danced through hair and across bare bits of skin. The sky was a true blue, its perfection marred by a few gray clouds looming in the distance.
Axel looked down at the blonde and repeated himself.
"I'm having dinner with a friend of mine tonight, so I'm not gonna make the study session."
The redhead was referring to the bi-weekly "study nights" that the pair and some of their friends had created in order to pass their fast-approaching standardized tests. Axel usually accompanied Roxas to the library, where they would cram with the usual gang; Kairi, Naminé, Sora, Riku, Demyx, and Zexion.
Roxas gave the redhead a surprised look.
"Oh, you never mentioned you were planning on seeing someone." The blonde said, flicking a dragonfly off his shoulder. It gave an annoyed buzz and darted skyward.
"Yeah, well, it kinda just came up. She just got into town yesterday."Axel said in a strange, vaguely guilty voice.
"She? Who is it?" Roxas said, tilting his head slightly in confusion.
"Larxene."
Axel said the name like he was half-expecting it to hurt. Roxas's eyes widened in shock.
"Larxene? Your old girlfriend?" the blonde said, unable to keep the incredulity out of his voice.
"Yeah. She called me up yesterday, said she was in town visiting her old home. She asked me to dinner." Axel said, the casual tone in his voice sounding just the slightest bit strained.
"You are going to go out on a dinner date with your ex-girlfriend tonight." Roxas said flatly, fighting down the bite of jealousy in his words.
Axel put his hands up in front of him and looked at the blonde wide-eyed.
"Hey, it's not like that at all. It's not a date or anything, she just wants to talk. We're just gonna get some food and catch up on things." The redhead explained, the twinge of guilt still evident in his voice.
Roxas sighed and looked out at the all but deserted parking lot for a moment before turning back to meet his boyfriend's catlike eyes.
"Okay, I guess. Have fun at dinner. Hopefully she won't have you for dessert," Roxas said, the stab of jealously now plain in his bitter tone.
Axel fixed Roxas with a soft look and took the little blonde in his arms. He pulled away so that their bodies were no longer touching, but kept his arms locked around the boy's waist as he bent his face down inches from Roxas's.
"I'm sorry I sprung this on you, Roxie. You've got nothing to worry about, but if it really bothers you for me to go to dinner with her, I'll just call and cancel." The redhead said, stroking the boy's cheek with long fingers.
Roxas closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to Axel's in a gentle kiss. The redhead returned it, and the two stood liplocked for several moments.
"I'm sorry, Axel. I trust you. I'm just jealous, that's all. Go hang out with her and catch up. You're friends, after all." Roxas said, burying his face in the redhead's jacket for a brief moment before pulling away completely.
Axel grinned at the blonde and tapped him on the nose with his index finger.
"After all the times I played the possessive boyfriend, now it's your turn to be jealous. Pretty funny turn of the tables, don't you think?" the redhead said playfully, his jade eyes sparkling with his amusement.
Roxas rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress a smile.
"You are a possessive boyfriend. But I like it when you're all protective of me." The blonde added softly, his cheeks turning a light pink as he shuffled in close to the redhead.
Axel laughed and flung a lanky arm around Roxas's shoulders.
"Of course you do, Roxie."
Axel drove the blonde home, but Roxas fixed him with a none-too-happy stare before giving the redhead a quick kiss goodnight. He opened his front door and stepped inside as the sound of Axel's car faded into the evening air.
--
Axel exited the small Japanese restaurant and began making his way to his parked car. Larxene walked a few paces behind him, her arms folded across her chest and her sharp aquatic eyes watching the redhead narrowly.
"Man, that sushi was good. I had no idea that place had half-priced dinners on Tuesdays. I'm gonna have to take Roxie there sometime." Axel said cheerfully, walking with his arms crossed behind his mass of red spikes. His breath clouded the night air, chilly for early March.
Larxene made a disgusted face at Axel's mention of Roxas's name, but it went unnoticed by the redhead as he turned to his car and unlocked the doors.
Axel pulled up in front of his place, where Larxene had left her car earlier that evening. The pair walked up to Axel's porch and stopped just outside the door.
Axel turned to Larxene and cocked his head to the side.
"You want some coffee or something?" he asked, keys in hand.
"You better not have any of that instant shit. And I take it black," she said in reply.
Axel unlocked the door and smirked.
"You haven't changed one bit, Larx." he said, tossing his jacket on the living room sofa and walking toward the kitchen. Larxene draped her short leather jacket over a nearby chair and followed the redhead.
"Neither have you. You're still a hopeless moron." The woman said, her short blonde hair cut severely against her face.
"And you're as cynical as ever. Cookie?" Axel said, motioning to a sleeve of chocolate chip cookies on the counter.
Larxene glared and snatched a mug from the open pantry. She poured herself some coffee and took a long sip.
Axel laughed and scratched the back of his head.
"Yep, same as always." He said, not taking any coffee but retrieving a cookie from the counter.
--
"Thank you, come again!"
The cheerful voice of the cashier called out to Roxas as he exited the flower shop.
He felt bad about acting like a jealous jerk earlier that afternoon and decided to buy Axel some flowers as an apology. He bought half a dozen snapdragons (one of Axel's favorites; Roxas still didn't quite understand why, though he was beginning to suspect it had to do with the name), and put them in his car, along with a backpack containing a toothbrush and a change of clothes.
When he walked in Axel's door with the bag over his shoulder, he knew that the redhead would notice that he clearly planned to spend the night, but Roxas knew Axel would appreciate the gesture, and the pyro had never been one to deny the blonde a sleepover.
With a content smile, Roxas pulled out of the parking lot and turned in the direction of Axel's house.
--
Ten minutes later, Axel had finished his cookie and Larxene had drained two mugfuls of coffee. Axel walked out of the kitchen and toward the front door. Larxene joined him but didn't get her jacket.
"Well, it's been fun, Larx. See ya around," he said with a polite smile.
Larxene arched a brow and looked the redhead over thoughtfully before shaking her head.
"You've still got my limited-edition Mogeta. I want it back." She said flatly, crossing her arms again.
"Oh, heh, I forgot I had it. Hmm, I think it's in my room. Come on," Axel replied, turning around and climbing the staircase. Larxene followed him up into his bedroom and sat silently on the edge of the bed as Axel rummaged through his closet.
"Found it!" Axel said after a few minutes, holding it up in triumph. Larxene simply looked at him.
Axel walked over and stood next to the bed, holding out the Mogeta. Larxene took it and placed it on the bed behind her.
"My closet's like a black hole. I don't even remember where half the crap in there came from. Nowadays I just assume everything in there's Roxie's," he said when Larxene made no attempt to reply.
Larxene glared at the redhead.
"Sit down. You're making me feel short." She said, her eyes shifting to the comforter beside her. Axel complied and took a seat next to the blonde woman.
"Roxas, Roxas, Roxas. That's all you've talked about all night. I hope he gives a shit about you, since you're so obviously head-over-heels for him," Larxene said, a distinct hint of bitterness in her voice.
Axel smirked, used to the harshness of the woman.
"Yeah, I think he does. That or I've been horribly mislead for months," the redhead replied, his smirk widening.
Larxene rolled her eyes and leaned in toward Axel, a sudden predatory look settling over her feminine features.
Axel's eyes widened in surprised confusion and he backed up until his head bonked against the headboard of the bed.
"Larx, what're you…" the redhead choked out as the woman straddled his thin waist and placed her small hands on his chest.
"What did you think I called you for, Axel? To play catch-up over shitty food?" Larxene cut him off, holding his gaze intensely.
"What…do you want?" Axel gulped, holding himself up with his arms.
Larxene laughed, a short, bitter sound. She traced Axel's cheek with her fingers and leaned her face in close to his.
"You really are a hopeless moron. I want you back, Axel." She said, brushing her lips against his.
Axel snapped his head back, abruptly breaking contact. Larxene was undaunted, and she reached up to pull her crimson blouse over her head before tossing it to the ground below them and leaning in to resume the kiss.
Axel grabbed her wrists and pulled her away from his face roughly.
"Larxene, I don't know what kind of fucked-up plan you have in your head, but I'm not interested in getting back with you. I'm with Roxas, and I plan on keeping it that way for as long as possible." He said firmly, glaring at her.
Larxene's eyes narrowed as anger washed over her face.
"What's so great about him?!" she spat, jerking her hands out of Axel's grasp but remaining straddled across his waist.
"He loves me. And I love him. I've never been as happy as I've been every day we've been together. He's my light, Larxene. He's my fire now, and it's the only flame I need. Now put your shirt on and go home." Axel said, fixing Larxene with a serious expression.
Suddenly, Larxene's head whipped around at the sound of the bedroom door opening. Axel looked past her to see Roxas standing in the doorway, backpack slung over his shoulder and a bouquet of snapdragons in one hand. His wide eyes flicked from a smirking Larxene, to her blouse laying on the floor, to Axel's shocked expression. Roxas blinked, slowly, and could not find any words. The look in his wide cerulean eyes wrenched Axel's heart, and the redhead attempted to stand up, but Larxene's presence on his lap prevented him from moving.
"Well, well. This must be the famous Roxas. It's such a shame he's gay, he's just so pretty. Well, I think I'll be going now. Hope to see you again, Roxas." Larxene said, dragging out each painful word, her tone downright malicious. Neither boy said anything as she retrieved her blouse from the floor, buttoned it up halfway, and walked out the door, brushing Roxas's shoulder as she made her exit.
Axel shot up from the bed and began to cross the room toward Roxas, but the look in the boy's face stopped him dead in his tracks. Roxas released his grip on the bouquet, and the flowers fell to the bedroom floor. They made the smallest of sounds on the carpet, but Axel flinched as though there had been an explosion.
Without a word, Roxas dropped his backpack on the bed and crossed the room to Axel's dresser.
"Roxas, I swear to God, it wasn't what it looked like." Axel said, unable to hide the desperate pleading in his voice.
Roxas stormed over from the dresser to the bed where his backpack lay. Axel had given the blonde his very own drawer in his bedroom months ago, and Roxas had stored extra clothes and such in it for any spontaneous "sleepovers" they had at Axel's place.
Now the drawer lay open and empty and Roxas stuffed its contents into his bag violently. He ignored the redhead's pleas as he slung his backpack over one shoulder.
Roxas moved toward the bedroom door. Axel darted in front of him, blocking his path of escape with outstretched arms.
"Get out of my way, right now." Roxas growled, his voice threatening violence if the redhead did not comply.
"Please, Roxas, just listen to me. It's not what you think it is. Let me explain," Axel said, fighting the urge to embrace the blonde. He knew Roxas would punch him square in the jaw if he tried touching him now.
"Get the fuck out of my way, Axel!" Roxas shouted angrily, pushing past the redhead and walking out the door.
Axel chased the blonde down the stairs and out the front door, coming up behind him as Roxas marched across the front lawn and grabbing his arm, bringing both boys to a halt.
"Roxas, please don't do this. Don't go. I love you," Axel said, a lump rising in his throat as he released the blonde's arm.
Tears welled up in Roxas's eyes and he let them fall freely down his cheeks, angrier than he'd ever been before in his life. He glared through his tears at Axel, his hands clenched into fists so tight his knuckles were mottled.
"Fuck you." Roxas said, his voice barely above a whisper but carrying clear on the evening air.
"Roxas, don't leave! ROXAS!!" Axel cried after the blonde, but Roxas walked away without looking back.
Dark storm clouds opened up overhead, and Axel sank down to his knees in the quickly dampening grass, hung his head, and wept.
--
"Roxas, I'm home! Are you up there?" Sora's cheerful voice called up the staircase.
When the received no reply, the puzzled brunette climbed the stairs and opened the door to the bedroom the brothers shared.
Sora's eyes fell on the trembling shape of his brother, who lay sobbing on the bedroom floor, his backpack lying on the ground a few feet from him.
"Oh my God, Roxas! What's wrong?! What happened?!" Sora exclaimed, rushing over to his twin and kneeling on the ground beside him.
Sora had to lift Roxas to a sitting position and lean down to meet the blonde's eyes.
"Roxas, what is it?" Sora said, worry clear in his face and voice as he held his twin upright by the shoulders.
"A-Axel…it's…it's over…he's…oh God," Roxas's words died in his throat as sobs wracked his body, and only Sora's firm grasp on his shoulders keeping his shaking form from collapsing to the ground.
Shock and sorrow washed over Sora's face as he cradled his brother in his arms, stroking his mass of blonde hair and leaning his face into it.
"Shh, it's okay, baby, it's okay," the brunette whispered over and over to the hysterical blonde, closing his eyes and letting his own tears fall silently as he rocked his twin gently in his arms.
--
Sora eventually got a coherent explanation from Roxas the next morning, but it was three days before the brunette could convince his brother to return to school. All the boys' friends knew what had happened, and they greeted the blonde warmly upon his return, relieved to see him and cautious not to ask any questions.
Roxas sat through his classes numbly, and made his way over to his lunch table as the midday bell rang. He slid into his usual seat and noticed with a painful jolt that Axel was absent from the table.
Kairi noticed Roxas staring at the empty space beside him, and offered an explanation.
"He hasn't been in school since…for a few days." She said with feigned casualty, knowing she was treading on eggshells.
Roxas looked up at Kairi, and her nonchalant tone was completely destroyed by the pain in her eyes. He silently surveyed his friends that sat at the table. Sora and Riku were solemn, and Zexion's head was bent over a book, not giving away his expression. Naminé looked as if she were about to cry, and Demyx's eyes were too wide in his attempt to keep tears from falling.
"You all look like someone's died." Roxas said harshly, catching each of their gazes.
Kairi and Naminé looked away, embarrassed. Demyx did the same, but was unable to hide his kicked-puppy look from anyone at the table. Zexion remained looking at his book, while Riku suddenly became fascinated with his fingernails. Only Sora met the blonde's gaze without looking away.
"We're just worried about you, Roxas." The brunette said softly, returning his gaze with a serious one.
"I'm fine. I wish you'd all stop looking and talking to me like I'm gonna break. I'm not made of glass, you know." Roxas said to his friends.
"We know. We'll try to lighten up. Right, guys?" Riku said, looking at the rest of the table.
Everyone nodded in agreement. Naminé smiled at Roxas, and Kairi placed her hand over his for a moment before returning to her homework. Demyx gave a small smile but seemed to huddle in on himself from his seat beside Zexion, who had looked up to nod reassuringly at Roxas and was now murmuring quietly to the distressed sitar player next to him. Riku and Sora began helping Roxas catch up on the previous days' assignments.
Lunch passed by and so did the remainder of Roxas's classes. When the last bell rang, Roxas made his way slowly across the concrete in front of the school and headed for the parking lot half in a daze. He was hurting worse than ever, as a million little things at school served as painful reminders of Axel.
Roxas clenched the straps of his backpack, determined not to cry anymore over his beloved redhead. He had shed so many tears over the last four days that he had become dehydrated, and Sora had had to confine him to his bed and give him glasses of water for hours. Roxas had been spending all his time in his room anyway, so he hadn't really cared, and lay there apathetically as a worry-filled Sora cared for him.
Roxas felt guilty for making Sora worry so, and for putting those pained expressions on his friends' faces. He would make himself get over it, if not for his sake, then for his friends' sakes.
Roxas crossed the parking lot and climbed into his car. He had told Sora that he would do the day's grocery shopping in an attempt to prove to his brother that he was okay. Sora had been reluctant at first, but eventually agreed and said he'd get a ride home from Riku. Roxas drove to the store, forcing himself to snap out of his daze and focus on driving.
--
Roxas pushed the shopping cart with one hand and held the list in front of his face with the other. The soft music pouring through the speakers was oddly comforting, as was the lack of people in the store, and some of the tension drained from Roxas's body as he made his way slowly up and down the aisles, feeling a silly sense of accomplishment each time he found an item on Sora's list.
Roxas turned the corner to the very last aisle and stopped dead in his tracks. Axel stood facing the shelf halfway down the aisle, his mass of red spikes tied back in a ponytail.
Roxas tried to turn around, but he couldn't get his feet to move and he stood frozen at the beginning of the aisle, his blood pounding in his ears.
Suddenly, Axel stood up from where he was bending over the shelf, his head turning to meet the sight of Roxas standing wide-eyed about twenty feet away from him.
Both boys stood facing each other in stunned silence for a few moments before Roxas found that he had regained control of his legs.
"S-sorry," was all he could think to mumble as he turned his shopping cart and began to walk back to the previous aisle.
Axel ran after the blonde and caught him in the middle of the next aisle. Roxas let go of his cart and turned around to face the redhead.
"Roxas, please let me explain what happened the other night." Axel said, unable to hide the desperate need in his voice. His eyes were puffy and badly bloodshot, Roxas realized, and the redhead looked as much of a wreck as he did.
"Let me go, Axel." Roxas said bitterly, and the redhead flinched at the double meaning in the blonde's words.
Axel dropped his hand from Roxas's arm momentarily, and Roxas took the opportunity to turn around and continue walking down the aisle. Axel blinked and came back to himself, and the sight of the little blonde walking away was just too much for him.
Axel rushed forward determinedly and grabbed Roxas by the arm, spinning the blonde around to face him.
"Axel—" Roxas started to protest, but Axel gripped both of Roxas's arms with his hands firmly and held the boy in place.
"No, Roxas, I've had enough of you walking away. So just stop being an angsty bitch for two seconds and let me explain myself, 'cause until you do, I'm not letting you go." Axel said, his voice nearing shouting volume.
When Roxas said nothing, Axel took a deep, shaky breath and kept his eyes locked with the blonde's.
"Larxene had this twisted idea that we were gonna get back together. We were talking in my room and she just jumped all over me, trying to seduce me and thinking she could win me back. But I told her no, that there was no way we'd ever get back together and that I was happy with you. Then you walked in and thought the worst, which is understandable considering the visual you were greeted with. But dammit, Roxas, you should've trusted me more than that. You should've known I'd never touch her, or anyone else. You should know that I'm fucking head-over-heels in love with you, and you should've let me explain my damn self before everything exploded and we both cried our eyes out for days over something that could've been resolved in five minutes."
Roxas looked at the redhead in shock as the realization of his mistake sunk in.
"Axel, I…don't know what to say to you. I was just so upset, I wasn't thinking…and the things I did, the things I said…sorry isn't enough. You must hate me." The blonde said, his voice cracking as a tear slid down his cheek.
Without hesitation, Axel pulled Roxas toward him and captured his mouth in a crushing kiss. Roxas stood on tiptoe and leaned into the redhead, pulling on the redhead's spikes and whimpering into his mouth.
Axel gave up holding back his tears as he pressed himself against the blonde as if trying to melt into him, his tongue sending shivers down the blonde's spine as the kiss deepened. Roxas fell backward from the weight of Axel until his back hit the shelf behind him. Axel pinned him there, moaning into the blonde's mouth and never breaking the heated kiss.
Axel gripped Roxas by the waist and lifted him off the ground, and Roxas wrapped his legs around the redhead's hips, his arms resting on Axel's shoulders as he kissed the older boy fiercely, his body craving Axel's touch.
Axel slowly let Roxas down until the blonde was once again standing. He slowly broke the kiss but kept his tear-stained face an inch from the blonde's.
"Weren't you listening? I love you, you idiot." The redhead said in a voice just above a whisper.
Roxas let out a laugh that turned into a sob as he hugged Axel tight, burying his face in the redhead's chest.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. God, Axel, I love you." Roxas sobbed into Axel's shirt, his arms wrapped around the redhead's waist.
Axel returned the embrace and rested his chin on top of Roxas's head, closing his eyes as his heart filled to burst with emotions, relief the frontrunner.
Axel pulled out of the embrace and looked down at the teary blonde.
"What am I gonna do with you, Roxie." He said with a small smile. Roxas looked at him with wide, sorrow-filled eyes.
"If you don't wanna be with me anymore, I understand. What I did was terrible." Roxas said quietly, his voice solemn and remorseful.
Axel curled his hand into a fist and bonked the top of the blonde's head playfully.
"If you actually believe that I don't wanna be with you after that kiss, then you really are an idiot." The redhead replied.
Roxas blushed and looked at Axel with uncertain eyes.
"Are you sure…?" Roxas said, his face earnest.
Axel let out a laugh and put an arm around the blonde's waist.
"Am I sure that I want you? Most definitely. Although what you did was pretty shitty. I'm thinking you've got some making up to do for me." The redhead said with a wink and a cheeky grin.
Roxas gave a laugh that was part relief and part delirious joy and leaned in to kiss Axel's mouth briefly.
"I know I do. Luckily, I think I know what you've got in mind…"
Axel's hand traveled from Roxas's back to a spot a little lower. Roxas gasped in surprise and his cheeks flushed a light red.
"Oh, you don't know the half of it. Come on babe, let's go ring up your things. And then we're heading to your place, and if Sora's in your room with Riku again, we'll just have to kick them the hell out." Axel said, walking toward the forgotten shopping cart but keeping an arm around the blonde's waist.
Roxas nodded in wholehearted agreement, and followed his lover to the front of the store, feeling enough relief to last them both a lifetime.
--
THE END
Author's Note: This is what happened when purewhite read this.
Purewhite: Oh my god! In the Grocery Store?!
Peachy: …
Purewhite: Oh wait… I came up with this didn't I?
Peachy: …
Purewhite: Oopsies.
She's a genius sometimes; she just is so stupid, too.