"Hey Axel!" Roxas called. A tall spiky-haired redhead clad in a fresh white apron turned around to find his younger blond friend running up towards him.

"Hey Roxas! How's it feel to finally be out of school?" Axel handed the boy a free sea-salt ice cream out of his cart as he spoke. Ever since Axel graduated from Destiny High he roamed around to find his true calling. He took up several jobs from grueling maintenance work to storage work. It wasn't until his friend Saix, as Axel would say, "forced", him to come along during his intern days doing lab work for the Radiant Garden Institute. Saix was assigned studying the moon patterns during certain nights. He felt it was a little more interesting than the rest of the team's work on heart study. While Axel was there with Saix, he found a fascination with fire work and wanted to create the same kind of patterns and colors he saw while at the lab. Naturally, Axel snuck off without Saix looking to take a closer glimpse at the fire work. And knowing Axel, he was usually one who got into some messy situations.

One trip in the lab, spilled chemicals, and shattered beakers later, and Axel was kicked out of the Radiant Garden Institute. He would've been okay with it, seeing how he usually gets himself kicked out every now and then, if it didn't cost his friend's internship. Saix was furious with Axel and hadn't spoken to him since, or at least, for two weeks. After the incident, Axel landed a part time job as a cashier in the ice cream parlor, hoping to raise enough money to pay for the expenses he caused at the institute as well as beg them to take Saix back.

"Not much different, to be honest," Roxas replied, "I thought after all these exams Xion would finally take a break, but she's kinda glued herself back at the school with Dr. Ansem." He took a bite in his ice cream bar after he was done speaking. Axel looked at the blonde boy with a raised eyebrow then sighed.

"Sheesh, she's still at it? Shouldn't she just learn how to take a break for once? I mean it's summer! No homework, no rules, no responsibilities. Why would she want to stay in that stuffy building?" Axel asked.

"Something to do with her science grade, I guess. For some reason, that's all she seems to care about lately, and ever since she didn't get the score she wanted it's almost like it's the end of the world for her," Roxas said.

Axel leaned against the counter continuing to listen to Roxas until he replied, "Well, I don't know about you, but if I was in Xion's shoes, I think I would be pretty terrified if I had to come home with an average to one of the most stiff people on the planet."

Roxas took another bite into his ice cream and looked back up to meet Axel after hearing what he had said.

"Wait, are you talking about Xion's dad?" he asked.

Axel gave him a confused look, "Have you met the guy? I mean, you and Xion have been friends for a while, it's only natural that you've seen his face or something. The guy gives me the creeps, I feel like he'll swoop down and chop my head off or something."

Roxas rolled his eyes at his friend's comment, but thought for a moment after. He has seen Xion's dad, and he did admit he was pretty intimidating, but in reality, he's never known who or what kind of person he really was. He knew what he looked like, and from Axel's somewhat exaggerated depiction of the man, he wouldn't be surprised if Xion's father did do something like that.

"What exactly do you know about him? I mean, I've seen him before, but I've never really talked to him," Roxas didn't know whether or not Axel really knew more than him about Xion's father. It didn't really hurt to ask though.

"From what I remember, he used to be one of Dr. Ansem's students. Top in the class, or something like that. Not even top in the class, but top ranked in the school. I only heard about this awhile back, but can't remember who. It wouldn't be surprising to be honest," Axel saw the time on his watch, grabbed an ice cream from the freezer, and jumped over the counter to start his break before continuing, "from what you've told me, Xion seems to be in a really bad place right now. The guy is a huge perfectionist. Plus, he kind of hates me. The last time I bumped into him, he glared at me and called me a 'waste of space', rude guy."

Roxas thought about Xion sitting in Dr. Ansem's office and how she's probably feeling at the moment. Xion has never told him anything personal that goes on with her and her father, but judging from the way she had been acting concerning her grades in science, if not her grades in general, her relationship with her father seems pretty strained. He wondered Dr. Ansem was helping Xion feel any better. He dipped his head low to which Axel noticed.

"Hey, don't worry buddy, we'll save Xion some ice cream and we'll all hang out like no tomorrow," Axel reassured.

"I hope so. I just don't know if Xion will be up for it. She hasn't been feeling that great and I don't know if taking her out for a relaxing session is something she'd be willing to do," Roxas replied.

"Then we'll make her!" Axel cheerfully said, though he knew the situation and didn't feel as if it was the right moment to be enthusiastic. Axel was always like that with Roxas and Xion. Despite breaking rules and getting the two in all sorts of trouble, he never wanted them to deviate from what was important. He never tried as much back when he did go to Destiny High, but he sure didn't want his carefree attitude to rub so much off his two hardworking friends. But even with his intentions, Xion's father still had a large disdain towards his mannerisms and attitude towards schoolwork and made sure Xion wouldn't spend any time with him in order to maintain her own work ethic. Her father was never the type to trust others so easily.

"I guess…" Roxas thought in his mind maybe a short relaxation period wouldn't hurt. Plus, it was summer vacation already. There wasn't really much else Xion could do. The best he and Axel could give her is some good hang out time to forget about the work that has been stressing her out. Hopefully, her father wouldn't be too against her spending some down time after a stressful year. That is, if he doesn't know about Xion's science grade.

A/N: sHIIITTTTT so idk if anyone follows this story lol but it's been awhile since my last update and this idea was something that came to me on a whim since I haven't written KH fanfics in so long so here's to me getting back to doing so xD

The story for this fic was basically that I wanted to find a story where there was a focus between Xion and Xemnas/Xehanort's characters since I thought that would be an interesting dynamic to explore. Plus, I kinda see Xemnas as sort of this "neglecting/abusive" father-figure to Xion. Who knows where I'll take this lol, it's been such a long time since I was in the KH fandom. I think one of my other KH fics was deleted...but oh well, that one kinda sucked anyway xD

So, to anyone new. Um...hi! :D