AN: This is my very first fanfiction. Note: I don't own any of the characters used (obviously) This is all written for entertainment and to further my writing skills. The ship: Axel + Roxas 3

final note: The first few chapters will be "G" however at one point it will evolve to "M" (18+) but I know you all better than that, you'll read it anyway so this is me saying you've been warned and it is NOT my fault. If you would like to skip over these bits, I will be separating these portions into their own chapters and you will be able to easily skip over them and continue the story without disturbance of the story. Thanks! Sorry for the long note. Enjoy!

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Axel sighed as he leaned on the counter, resting his head in his hands, at Cafe Diem. He'd been here since approximately 3:30 and checking his watch, is was around 8:25. He was definitely ready to go home. Besides, who in their right mind goes to a coffee shop at 8pm on a weekday? Sure they had sodas and assorted dishes like nachos and the occasional quiche or soups but seriously. Axel stares down at his hands absent mindedly twiddling his thumbs. He heard the door open along with the tell tale jingle of someone entering the cafe. Axel inwardly groaned and looked up a fake smile plastered on his face to greet said customer. Axel's face fell a bit in what may be called shock or surprise. Maybe both. It was a kid perhaps no more than sixteen years of age. He had short spiky blonde hair and wore dark skinny jeans, blue converse, an Asking Alexandria tee and a simple sweatshirt. Over his shoulder he had a bag and in his left and a long board. Axel watched him silently as the male rifled through his bag pulling out a drawing book and a pencil. When he looked up Axel nearly fell off the stool he was sitting on. The blonde had the bluest eyes Axel had ever seen. Axel thought he saw the blonde smirk but it was too quickly replaced by a blank look he wasn't quite sure. Axel watched him as the walked past the counter to sit down in a booth in the far back corner. Shaking his head Axel got up to take the kids order.

"Can I get you anything..?" Axel asked as though his mind where elsewhere. Which it was, there was something about the blonde that put Axel on edge and he just couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

"Umm. I'll have a medium Hot Cocoa and a muffin if you have any left." The blonde hadn't looked up from his sketchbook even once.

"Care what kind?" the kid shook his head. "Whipped cream on the cocoa?" At this the blonde looked up a small smile at the corner of his mouth.

"Yes please."

Axel penned his order on the order pad, "That's $6.25." He was given a ten and told to keep the change. With a shrug Axel moved back behind the counter and went about filling the order.

The process was rather easy. Reaching under the counter and into the mini fridge stowed there, he took out milk and cream. Steam the milk to about 100* being careful not to overheat it and ruin it. Add two scoops of the special cocoa, making sure to mix completely. Then the whipped cream. After pouring about a third of a cup of cream into the whipping canister, he twisted the top on, shook it for a bit and proceeded to apply an even amount to the top of the cocoa. He dusted it lightly with cinnamon, grabbed the mug, a blueberry muffin out of the glass case and two napkins. (Yes it's detailed)

He walked over to the booth and placed them somewhat abruptly down on the table. Going back behind the counter Axel sat on a stool watching and waiting as the last few customers left. Eventually, only the blonder remained. Checking his watch Axel inwardly groaned; it was 8:38pm and nearly closing time. Though he wanted to get out of there and home as soon as possible, he knew he had to do his Cafe was his late mothers. She had died about seven months ago, which meant it was still a touchy subject at times but Axel had kept the business going for her sake. It was her second baby and she'd never let Axel forget he was the first. Axel Martinez stood at about five foot eleven with fiery red hair. Red. Like a cherry. Not that silly orange-red most people have. Ever since he was little people always asked his mother and him if it was dyed. The answer was always no, he had been born that way.

He also had two upside down triangle birthmarks that were often mistaken as tattoos. To someone meeting him for the first time, he was rather scary and intimidating. If you knew him like his two best friends, Demyx and Riku, or if you knew him like the old ladies who always to the shop and hassled him, he was the most easy going and shy guy there probably ever was. Unless, of course, he was the only one left to manage the Cafe so close to closing time. Slap a rough sleep schedule, a few late assignments and college on top of that, Axel hadn't received any more than six hours of sleep in the past two days. Safe to say he was rather grumpy.

Axel shook his head a bit trying to wake himself up and pay attention to the situation at hand. He looked over at the blonde who had finished his muffin and cocoa and was sketching something in his drawing book. Axel got up and went to work finishing clearing tables, wiping them down and washing the remaining dishes. Axel plopped down on his stool and let out a heavy sigh which caused the blonde to look up at him slightly and ask, "Is something bothering you?"

Axel shook his head shortly, "Nothing really but… I don't want to seem rude or anything, however I would like to be closing up and getting on my way home."

His eyes widened considerably making Axel bite his tongue. He had noticed they were blue but seriously. How on Earth can they be THAT blue?!

"Oh, I apologize! I didn't mean to be a hassle." He replied jumping up to throw his trash away.

"It's no big deal. I just haven't been sleeping well lately and I'm damn beat." Axel sighed but watched the blonde out of the corner of his emerald eyes as he packed up his things. Where'd the cocky kid from before go and where did this shy, easily flustered kid come from…? Axel finished cleaning up the counter, checked the till, finished everything up and started turning off the lights. Turning to the blonde he again took in just how out of place he seemed. He then noticed the long board once again. "Hey, do you need a ride anywhere?" He asked somewhat awkwardly. "It's getting late."

He stopped and turned to look at Axel, almost halfway to the door. He seemed to consider the offer for a moment before shaking his head and responding quietly, "It's better if you don't try getting close to me. You might get hurt." The look in his eyes seemed like a sad warning that made Axel feel as if the blonde truly believed this.

Axel had barely heard him and asked, "What?" When the question went unanswered, he asked, "What's your name?"

The blonde hesitated, avoiding Axel's gaze. "R-Roxas." With that he turned and left. Outside he dropped his longboard on the ground and boarded down the street and out of Axel's view.

"Well that was weird." Shaking his long locks her went and locked the door. He went out the back locking the door behind him. He drove home and wondered about what Roxas had meant. 'It's better if you don't get close to me. You might get hurt' How could that little kid hurt him?
Axel drove the five minute commute and pulled into the alley, parking in-front of the garage. He sat there for a moment thinking before he yawned heavily and decided he definitely needed sleep. After getting out and making sure the car was locked he walked inside to find Demyx passed out on the couch with the TV blaring. 'Jeez'

"DEMYX!" Axel shouted.

Said sleeper woke with a start and fell onto the floor earning a raised eyebrow from Axel. "Axe-l that wasn't nice!" he said with a pout.

"Yeah well, you're the one who fell asleep with the TV blaring and left me at work by myself." He promptly shoved Demyx with his foot lightly, conveying he didn't hold a grudge. "Now go to bed." With that he shut off the TV and went to his room. As Axel plopped down on his bed he was greeted by his grey tabby Belle. "Hey girl. Were you good today?" He smiled and nuzzled the top of her head, stroking her short fur fondly before taking off his shoes and tossing them to the floor. He yawned and lay there staring at the ceiling, thinking.

Thinking about Roxas.

Little did he know that his world was about to be overturned by the very person who's eyes haunted his dreams that night.

The crystalline blue eyes of Roxas Strife.

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Chapter One:

Le Fin!