Part II – Just Hangin'
Axel could tell something was wrong with his friend. It bothered him to no end. As he dismissed the portal he had just stepped out of, he thought silently to himself as he wandered spontaneously around his bedroom about what it was Gipxeon would talk to him about tomorrow.
Sitting on his bed, he pondered. More than likely it would be more questions about where she came from. Number XIV was highly interested in that, which was unusual for all members of Organization XIII. He remembered how he could care less about his past, and only happened to stumble upon it one day. But with all the work recently, his mind was clouded and he couldn't think of what it was at the moment.
After a quick shower, he looked at his small digital clock. It flashed 1:53.
Damn.
He flicked off all the lights.
The redhead undressed and pulled into his pajama pants, plopping down with a huff onto his bed and staring up at his dark ceiling for a while. Axel ran his long fingers through his spiky, ruby hair. He wanted to think, but he needed rest from today's work.
Suddenly, he remembered he hadn't seen or talked to Roxas today and he needed to ask the blonde of their meeting tomorrow. Reaching to the table beside his bed, he fumbled for his cell phone in the dark, clicked it open, and dialed in the other boy's number. Axel knew Roxas wouldn't be too happy at being called at two o'clock in the morning. The other line picked up after a while,
"H'llo?" came the irritated and sleepy voice of Roxas.
"Hey there, Foxy."
"Axel! Hey, what's up? I haven't seen you all day! I was kinda worried that you might've accidentally set your hair on fire again."
"I've been hanging out with Gipxeon for awhile." There was silence. Axel could only guess that Roxas was perplexed, so he quickly added; "Somethin's up with her. Her emotions are swinging more than usual, so I just went to keep her company. Gippy's been really… by herself lately."
"Ooh; solitude. Well, I hope she's ok… Did she talk to you?"
"Not much, but she did the cigarette thing again," Roxas chuckled. "She also forced me into agreeing to take her into town for some ice-cream tomorrow. She said she'd talk to me about the whole deal if I did. But I only agreed to it if you would come."
"Hmm," Roxas pondered. "Suppose I'll go. I haven't talked to Gippy myself in awhile. You know, me and her didn't really… click at the start."
"Yeah, I know. But that's alright; I can tell she still likes hangin' out with you."
"She never even looks at me if I'm not with you."
"Oh, stop bitching, that's her job. Anyways, meet me outside of my room at about 9 in the morning, 'kay? We'll meet up with Number XIV after that. Got is memorized?"
"Yeah, alright. See you tomorrow, Axel."
"'Night, babe." Axel heard Roxas huff at the name before he turned off the phone.
Sleep hadn't come easy that night, but when it finally did, his eyes snapped open to find light pouring in through his opened curtains, and his body drenched in a cold sweat. He rubbed at his eyes and sat up sleepily. For a moment, he mused over what had awakened him. Not the light, it never does. The sweat? Why the heck would that wake him up? Perhaps a drea- Time!
He glanced quickly over to the clock; 9:13
SHIT!!
Axel jerked on a ragged pair of blue jeans and a loose fitting t-shirt (he was going out for nothing special, so there was no need for the usual dark cloaks), and stuffed his phone inside his pocket. Forgetting he could teleport, Axel jogged to the door and pulled it open, preparing to run briskly down the hall. He had also forgotten that he had invited someone else, until he stepped out of his room.
There stood Roxas, looking just as beautiful as ever. The redhead stopped in his tracks, and grinned. The smaller blonde boy turned his piercing blue eyes to him, a slight frown on his face. God, it was so hot when he looked at him like that, even if it was slightly menacing.
"What the hell, Ax? Its 15 passed 9! You'd better be glad Gippy's all locked up and emo'd in her room or she would have snapped on you!" Roxas pointed accusingly.
"Whoa, Roxy, she doesn't even know I had set a time!" That lightened up Roxas a bit, and the blonde let Axel ruffle his hair before he opened a portal and the pair stepped through.
It was always weird going through those things. The black engulfed you, and you suddenly felt pressure from all sides. At the same time, it felt as if you where falling, but not helplessly. Axel concentrated on one spot; the front door to Gipxeon's living space. Of course, when he stopped to look around, that's where they were.
He ran a few fingers through his hair before walking up to the door. Noticing Roxas fiddling with his jacket, trying to get it straight, Axel turned to him.
"Wadaya doing?" Axel scrunched up his eye brows.
"Hey, me and her don't like each other that much, ok, so I'd like to at least look a bit nice." Roxas patted out his hair. Axel couldn't help but chuckle and kiss the blonde's cheek lightly and link their hands together before turning back to Whelp of Toxin's quarters.
"You know, she could care less about what you look like," He knocked loudly on Number XIV's door with his other hand.
From the strangely quiet seconds that followed, Axel could tell they where both straining to hear Gipxeon approaching the door. Of course they got a shock when her door was pulled opened and she stood there with a simple, brown tank top that extended below the pockets of a pair of tight, kaki long-shorts. Axel flushed slightly when he realized something; he had to admit that she looked very pretty.
I couldn't help but smile warmly when I opened my door to find my friend and Roxas holding hands lovingly. I shifted my worn down shoulder bag quickly and pushed myself out of the door, turning briefly to lock the entrance to my living areas.
"I suppose we're ready to go?" I asked in my smooth voice, still smiling. Roxas nodded, returning my greeting, but Axel looked confused.
"How did you know we where meeting at 9?" he questioned me.
"I guessed. I see it was a very good guess, too." I forced out a small chuckle. "Well, lets get to Hollow Bastion; I haven't had anything sweet in forever."
It didn't take long to get into town. We had all decided on walking, to give us extra time to catch up with each other. Roxas, I noticed, talked a bit more than when I saw him last. He seemed keen on talking mostly to me, which I was puzzled with at first. But it came to me some time later, when we neared the city. Roxas knew that we didn't quite get along. All he was doing was trying to make the journey comfortable. Axel was considerably quiet.
I had observed that my mood didn't change much when I was with my friend. As soon as the redhead had departed the other night, I went immediately back to constant change. I couldn't control myself. My temper had even flared so high that I had considered- well… something I shouldn't have thought of, but another swift on come of confusion had taken away the notion. I had felt like ripping out every bit of short hair on my head. Now, though, I was completely fine; laughing at Roxas's jokes, occasionally poking Axel softly in the side, just to see if he was still alive. A small yelp would confirm it. Ha! Axel's ticklish.
We had long since found the ice cream parlor. I was finishing off my first, Roxas was on his second, but Axel hadn't even bought one. I eyed him curiously.
I sat back, satisfied, when I was done. Roxas looked at me with an astounded look, setting down the clean stick that was once his third Sea Salt Ice Cream.
"You're only having one?"
"I have a small appetite. It was really good, though. Cookie dough is my favorite." I smiled at him. Axel announced that he had to use the restroom and walked away. So, I leaned forward to Roxas. "So, why are you so talkative to me all of a sudden?"
"Well, I just wanna be friend, y'know? It's not like I have many back at the castle."
"What?! I can't believe you! I would die to get as little attention as you do every time I step foot outside. I suppose that's what I get for such a likeable personality." The last comment plastered a grin to my face.
"HEY GUYS!!!" I whipped around to find a blonde Demyx staring me in the face, leaning against his blue sitar.
"Oh god, you see what I mean Roxas?" I laughed, and waved happily at my other friend. "What are you up to?"
"Oh, well, a new record store opened up in town. I had stopped by your room to see if you wanted to come but there was no answer." He explained, his blush unnoticeable except to my keen eyes.
"Yeah, Axel and Roxas took me out for ice cream. Well… I sort of bribed Ax into it." Chuckling, I shifted in my seat as Demyx sat where the redhead had just been.
"Speak of the devil, here he comes now." My friend pointed as Axel came around a corner. He grinned and came back to the table to prop his elbows on Roxas's shoulders, and cradle his own head in his raised hands.
"What's up, Demyx? Come to bug the hell out of my Gippy?"
"Leave him alone, you hot head. Dem's not bothering me." I scolded before Demmy could retort. "Come on, let's go for a walk. It's only a bit after ten."
"When are you going to explain things to me, Gipxeon? I can't stand the wait anymore." Axel muttered to me as we all got up to leave.
I sighed deeply and dragged him to a small alley way as Roxas and Demyx went ahead, unnoticing our disappearance. "I suppose now will do." My head fumbled for words, I didn't know how to explain to him the way I felt.
