A/N: This was suppose to be a one-shot, but I decided to extend it longer.
Time Limit
By night's Mirth.
Roxas had been given one month. One month to spend time with his family, to say good-bye to his friends, then he would die. That was what he was told. He was the was one of the few people that defied the most powerful group that practically, Organization XII. He resolved to live life to the fullest, not to fall in love, and to make sure his twin had the best life he can make for her. But, things never go the way that they where planed.
Roxas sighed as he hung up the phone. Why did things have to be so complicated? Why make it a month? It would be much easier for both of them if it was just a week. Or right now, even.
He honestly did not mean to bring disgrace on Organization XIII, which was stupid since they only had twelve members. He didn't know that the guy he fought was number six in their ranks. Doesn't that show that their weak? I mean, a freshman in college could beat one of their top numbers. Wasn't the Organization supposed to be a group of elite fighters? He was surprised they didn't just drag him out of his apartment building and shot him, like they did with his older sister two year ago…
She had been visiting from college and she had insulted a member, and she knew it was a member of some gang, She and Roxas where having a friendly video game contest, seeing who could get the highest score on Little Big Planet, when somebody kicked the house door in. They dragged Larxene and had her kneel in the streets. They forced Roxas, Naminé, and Cloud watch, along with the rest of the neighbors, and they shot her in the chest with some kind of lethal dart. They didn't even get her body.
They made a message out of his sister: Do something to insult the company the controls the world and be shot in the street.
"Hey, Roxas!" The door to his apartment banged open as the voice of his best friend, Hayner, boomed though the small space. Roxas wince when he heard something fall. Probably that damn picture when he was five. It wasn't like he even wanted that picture. It held no real meaning to him. Just a picture of him, his twin sister, Naminé, and a boy he didn't even remember. To bad his mother forced him to keep it up. "A reminder of your childhood," She had said.
Roxas opened the fridge and grabbed two cans of pop. "What, Hayner?" He called back, exiting the kitchen. Hayner smirked before plopping on the couch.
"Olette kicked me out of the house while she was cleaning. She wanted the house to look good for my mother," The temperamental blonde replied. "And Pence is trying to get enough courage to ask a girl out." Roxas laughed at the last bit as he handed the can of pop to his friend.
"You guys are all leaving me behind. You're dating Seifer, but to keep it from your mother, you're pretending to date Olette. Olette's dating what's-his-name. And Pence is going to ask out some girl."
Hayner laughed and said the same thing every time relationships came into their conversation. "Then shut up and get somebody already."
****
Axel groaned. New mission to get ready for. In one month, he had to go kidnap some kid that had beaten Zexion's ass, while the kid was drunk might he add, and if he didn't join the Organization's ranks, he would be killed. Of course, the kid thinks he's just gonna be killed. In that month, he has to sign out a dart gun, which took a week for the request to be processed, scope the kid out, and find his weakest points, ECT. He couldn't take the kid while he was sleeping, that was too low, even for the Organization.
Axel looked at the profile. The picture was of a cute blond, Demyx made a point of the blonde being cute, with bright blue eyes. They where almost as blue as the ocean, maybe bluer. His eyes drifted to the written profile.
NAME: Strife, Roxas
AGE: 19
BIRTHDAY: June 5th, 1990
HAIR: Blonde
EYES: Blue
FATHER: Strife, Jonathan
MOTHER: Strife, Ana
"Firebug!" Axel's eyes snapped up. Before him was the third most feared member, besides Xemnas and Saix, and best fighter in the group. Larxene's eyes flashed in anger. In her hand was a mostly burnt bra.
"Wasn't me, I was framed." Axel instantly said, knowing that is was, in fact, him. Larxene growled, knowing she was being lied to. Axel would say "Mother's intuition", but, as far as he knew, Larxene's only child had been born still.
He let his eyes go back to the paper, only to chock on his own spit then start to sputter. Oh Minerva, he was going to be castrated, electrified, and killed by an angry sister. Axel let out a squawk, which he would deny later.
SIBLINGS: Strife, Naminé(19, twin); Strife, Cloud(Older brother, 22); Strife, Larxene(23, older sister)
Well, that explained why he could whip Zexion's ass, while drunk.
****
Roxas panted, but continued to lung forwards with an attack. His padded weapon struck his cousin's. The blonde pressed down harder. A small smirk slipped on his face as he felt the other's grip slip. As the brunette scrambled to get a better grip on the weapon, Roxas made the final blow, a hard poke to the chest, which sent Sora falling to the ground.
His team cheered, whistling and whooping... Well, everybody on his team, except Seifer. Roxas always loved their training nights. Once a night, every week, they cleared their schedules from Nine O'clock to Twelve. Then they would go to a small field and split into teams. Then they would spar. Since there were only two girls in the group, both groups would get a girl and the girls would fight each other. The loser team would by Pizza and drinks.
Roxas was in his usual team. Hayner, Pence, Olette, and Seifer. They where fighting the normal competitors, Sora, Tidus, Wakka, Kairi, and Riku. The tie breaker. It was just Riku and Seifer next, and then they would go get pizza.
Seifer took the padded struggle bat from Roxas and Riku took his from Sora. Roxas cheer with his team, even though he didn't like Seifer that much. Team spirit and Hayner would kill him if he didn't.
The fight started. They where moving fast, their speed made it almost hard to follow. It was done in a matter of minutes. The padded bat skimmed Riku's skin, just touching. It would have gone all night if they hadn't made it "the slightest touch for Riku and Seifer". Third time in a row they won! Roxas phone vibrated, but he ignored it.
That was when he noticed the gorgeous redhead lingering by the street corner.
****
Larxene wasn't happy that her "Baby brother" was one the Organization's "target joins, or else the target dies" list, but she knew Axel had no choice. But she made it clear that if Roxas wasn't number XII, Axel will be nothing but a pile of ash.
The kid could fight, Axel would give him that. It would be a shame to waste such talent, and painful (for Axel.) to have him die. And, if Axel was gay, which he wasn't, he would be hot. But, as I said before, Axel isn't gay. That night was a one time thing when he was drunk.
Larxene had decided to accompany him, a chance to see her brother after two years. Larxene had spent those two years in intense training for the Organization and she had to let everyone she once knew think she was dead. She was currently crouched behind a bush, looking like a stalker.
Axel smirked as the kid whooped as the other blond won. Axel's and Roxas' eyes met for a second. Axel winked at the petite blond, amused when he saw the blush spreading on the boy's checks
"Stop flirting with Roxas," Larxene hissed, "You're not his type, anyways."
"I wasn't flirting." Axel yelped at the girl, then realized that it seemed like he was talking to a bush. "Ad what do you what his type is?" He asked, quieter. "You where 'dead' for two years."n
"He likes the quite, smart, musical, he prefers classical music to anything else, and gay type." Larxene smirked, watching a shiver run up Axel's spine. Now, Axel wasn't a homophobe, but he was raised in an strict Christian/homophobic family. It took a toll on his mental state.
But, Axel loved the look Larxene's face had when Roxas' phone rang, blaring out "Eyes of Horror" from Amon Amarth. For those who don't listen to Amon Amarth, it's death metal, with a lot of screaming.
Nice way to contradict what Larxene just said. Axel already liked the kid.
****
Professor Even was being more… detached… then normal. But he still hated Roxas ninety-nine point nine percent more then the rest of the class. Yuffie had switched his ring tone for Cloud. He had it on "The Climb" because Cloud had hated the singer.
Kairi was scowling over a proof. These proofs where easier then normal.
The professor let the students finish the proofs on the board before launching into a long, dull lecture about marking the triangles.
A small triangle paper was placed on the side of his desk. Kairi was too busy taking notes to be passing notes and she was the only friend he had in this class.
He looked around the lecture hall, bored. the person that grabbed his attention was the guy next to him. He was the guy from the lot last night. The one yelling at the bush, or the Mental Guy, as Roxas called jokingly nicknamed him, not knowing he was going to run into Mental Guy.
Roxas carefully unfolded the note.
Hey, the name's Axel. Got it memorized?
Roxas rolled his eyes before scribbling down a reply.
****
Axel watched as Roxas crumpled the note and lightly tossed it back on his desk.
Axel quietly un-crumpled the note.
I'm sure I do.
So, Blondie, whats your name?
What's it to you?
Well, somebody as cute as you has to have a name.
Sorry, you're too straight for me.
Axel nearly laughed at that.
What makes you think that?
He tossed the paper back to Roxas, who just stuffed the paper in his bag without a glance.
