"I'm ignoring you," Axel says as he takes a seat next to Roxas at the movie theatre, an add about transition lenses nattering on over their ears.
"That's nice," Roxas says dismissively, sipping through the straw of his coke. "Hey, have you tried this new flavour of popcorn? Tastes like shit."
"I mean, I don't know why you invite me on these things when you're just going to turn me down," Axel continues, obediently taking a handful. "Really destroys a guy's self-esteem you know."
"You? Small ego?" Roxas refutes.
"Point," Axel says, and the add about seafood dining changes to a movie preview. "Still, couldn't hurt you to be less of a teasing bitch."
Teasing isn't really the word for it. They endure the kid's movie trailer, highly inappropriate considering the target audience Axel thinks – seriously, what type of stupid kid sneaks into an R rated movie – and shares a smirk with his buddy as the lights dim down, curtains widening.
It's the sequel to Rancid Contractions, which undersold in all regions except the Bastion. The first had more gore, less laughs and enough thyroid lacerations to make a good, sane person worried for the sake of the film industry.
Roxas and Axel, quietly, aren't sane people.
They cackle their way through the idiocy, an ignorant female protagonist instantly lost to the blade of a health worker. Then a poor man, and an anonymous businessperson, and the plague is revealed to have been contracted by more people, oh no! Poison starts to bubble as the listless heros slash through their former idols, tears streaking down their faces.
"Nice touch with the eye popping," Roxas comments as one helpless superstar crashes to the ground.
"Hmm," replies Axel, appraisingly. "Bit overdone if you ask me. Though the pus from the earholes sends it off well."
They lapse into silence, waiting for more lunacy to take control. Eventually the planet gets bombed and the credits roll, a rather large hint that the screenwriter won't be scripting a third.
"Well that was shit," Axel decides as they make their way back to the popcorn stand, alternatively traumatized and unfazed movie goers quickly surpassing them.
"What did you expect? Sequels are never as good as the original," Roxas replies, and one particularly anxious older woman shoves past them. "See look, she's in tears of disappointment."
Axel snickers, and tries not to remark that Roxas is an asshole. He really doesn't fancy another knee to the crotch this evening. "Oh please, it's obviously joyous crying. And that's just what people say when they don't want to accept something they're not accustomed to."
"What am I accustomed to?" Roxas replies, killer's glint in his eye.
Axel takes his hand and kisses it. "Glory," he shuts his eyes. "Respect," another kiss. "Dissapointment."
Roxas takes his hand back. "You know I don't feel anything for you, Axel."
"I can wait," says Axel, tucking a piece of hair in Roxas's eyes behind his ear.
The boy smirks and turns for the carpeted steps. "Well, you'll be waiting on your deathbed then."
Axel trails after him. "Aww come on now Rocky, that's not nice."
"Please don't use that word in association with me," the steely-eyed blonde replies.
They stop at the head of the stairs. The janitor of the foodcourt lies sprawled, drool dribbling into the edge of his bucket. Axel and Roxas exchange a quick glance and Axel is gloves on, syringe out and Roxas's index finger strokes the barrel of his ten-incher.
"You think this is what the chick was worried about?" Axel asks, examining the festoring sores around the throat wound. Probably just some warped kid who thought an attack would be ironic, but then…
"Shut up," Roxas commands, head tilting. Work mode. He strides off in one direction, gun clenched in both hands.
Axel whips out his red disks, serated edges whirring beneath his palms. A strangulation implies the attacker as unarmed, and if Axel gets lucky enough?
Bang. Axel tears after the shot, all thoughts of subterferge left behind. He won't let anything happen to his best friend, he damn won't.
He slams into the women's bathroom and there he stands.
"Jesus, Axel," Roxas replies, lowering his fired weapon. "I can take care of myself. Can't you deal with me left alone? Cover-"
"Drop it."
The voice comes from behind, and too late Axel's realized he's left his back to the door. His own whirring disks are raised to his neck by one firm hand, and Axel gulps as he stares Roxas down. He's not going to drop it. He's going to shoot, fuck him, he'll—
Roxas lowers his weapon slowly. It clatters to the floor loudly, Axel watches.
"Name your terms."
The offender doesn't, he audibly grins (that little exhalation) and lowers Axel's hand, tearing it into his exposed chest. Axel made sure to wear the open shirt today, just in case he got lucky, in case it changed Roxas's mind and the pain is unbearably harsh.
He tips towards the floor, wet tiles and the sound of raw screams sound out behind, Roxas's gun blares again and the bullets must slam into his assailant because the laughing stops and the scream chokes out into a wild sort of moan.
Axel's ears ring and he can't see anymore but his face is titled to the side and he can watch as the gun drops in the pool of mixed liquids. The blonde's hand grips around his shoulder, tipping him gently across onto his back.
"Smells like shit," Axel jokes, and he feels like he's crying because the pain is so much like he might never feel it again. Roxas chokes out a guttural noise like a sob and Axel wants to ask him what's wrong and whether it will hurt. "Don't cry."
"I'm not crying," Roxas replies sternly. "I have allergies, idiot."
You're so brave, Axel thinks admiringly, and wishes he took his chance when he got it. "I love you," he whispers, folding his shaky hand around Roxas's knee as he coughs. Roxas takes it, and squeezes tightly.
"I'm sorry for what I said," he says in a small voice, eyes shut above Axel. "I was afraid someone might use you against me. I thought it would keep you safe."
Axel wants to say it's okay, that he's sorry for being such a disappointment too but suddenly he can't breathe and he panics and tries to suck air back in but his body is slowing down and he won't see Roxas ever again, he won't see anyone ever…
Never again.