Chapter 2

AN: Here we go: not in first person narrative; may return at points but will probably be mostly third person. Depends.

Roxas entered the smoke-filled backstreet club. It wasn't one of those loud, thumping ones most kids his age seemed to frequent, where you could lose your virginity just by looking at someone. It was more of a laid-back, slightly but not noticeably seedy place where you could go for a drink and to just chill out. And possibly pick up a girl. Or guy, depending. He often went there to think. He knew Tidus didn't like it, but… he didn't have to do everything his boyfriend said; after all, he wasn't the one cheating.

He breathed in the scent of cigarettes and liquor, the underlying stench of sex and badly cooked food always lingering from the brothel next door. Roxas bought a bloody Mary and sought out his favourite corner, where his usual beaten-up brown leather armchair was waiting. As he settled himself into it with a sigh, he glanced up at the small wooden stage as another 'act' came on. Usually it was the same lot each week: a blues band consisting of five midlife crisis sufferers, a couple of comedy skits and that little blonde girl with the violin.

This time it was an insanely tall redhead with acidic green eyes. Roxas blinked, sure he was hallucinating. No one on earth could look like that. It wasn't that the guy was good-looking (he was) but… hair like that only existed when Sonic the Hedgehog was blushing; and eyes like those had to be contacts. Not to mention he had to have been put on a rack at some point; how could anyone be that lanky and skinny? He looked like he'd be constantly falling over himself. He was wearing a scruffy white t-shirt with a smiley face on the front and rainbow writing proclaiming 'Smile if you're gay' on it. His trousers were worn at the hems and knees, the woven fabric fluffy and pale over the tall man's kneecaps. He cleared his throat, leaning into the microphone slightly and a few of the patrons glanced up at him curiously before returning to their drinks.

"Um, well… hi, I guess. I'm Axel Flynn and this is my first time here, as you can probably guess." He laughed awkwardly and continued. "But yeah, I'm gonna be singing 'So Do I Say Sorry First?' by Stephanie Mcintosh. So… enjoy." He took a step backwards and tweaked the tuning paddles on his acoustic guitar a few times. Roxas was mildly surprised by the fact that it was an acoustic, but mentally shrugged; after all, it was a rather small establishment. The redhead cleared his throat again and stepped up to the mike once more. Roxas was surprised by the velvety quality to the lanky male's voice – he didn't know what he'd expected but it certainly wasn't anything like this.

"So welcome to my nightmare
My heaven and my hell
This passionate contradiction
Of bitter sweet is where I dwell
You choose a day like today
To get me upset
The more I love you
More I hate you
More it scares me to death

I can't keep fighting this battle with you
I can't hear words when scream like you do
If I cry will you hold me just like we rehearsed?
So do I
So do I say sorry first?

I'm flawed
I'm so imperfect
But I ain't insecure
Your jealous heart is poisoned
Tell me how could I trust you more?

I can't keep fighting this battle with you
I can't hear words when scream like you do
If I cry will you hold me just like we rehearsed?
So do I
So do I say sorry first?

Sometimes I think we feel too much
Too deep
This all-consuming love
Can't breathe
So angry
So frustrated
How we got here?

Hear me
And listen to what I say
From my heart
And I swear to you that won't change
I hope you learn to trust somebody. . .

I can't keep fighting this battle with you
I can't hear words when scream like you do
If I cry will you hold me just like we rehearsed?
So do I
So do I say sorry first?"

Axel stepped off the stage, a few of the politer patrons clapping him, Roxas the most enthusiastically. Well, with as much enthusiasm as he could muster at one o'clock in the morning.

He sat back and sighed, closing his eyes. Sometimes it honestly seemed like the entire world was thinking the same thing as him. And the rest of the time he was completely alone. But that song had just blown him away a little bit; it was pretty much how he was feeling. And somehow, Axel had made the rock song work with an acoustic guitar.

"Mind if I sit here?" a smooth voice asked quietly and he jumped, staring up into the venom green eyes of the singer.

"Oh… er, not at all." He shook his head and blinked; feeling as if he was awakening from a dream. The tall redhead settled into the cracked leather armchair across from his and let out a small sigh. "I thought you were very good." Roxas murmured, leaning back into his chair again. Axel's eyes opened and he smiled.

"Thanks. What's your name, kid?" Roxas raised an eyebrow.

"Roxas. And I'm twenty three. Don't assume cos I'm short I'm younger than you." He spoiled the stern tone with a grin. Axel's eyes widened.

"No way, you're twenty three? I could've sworn you were about seventeen."

"Just this once I'll take that as a compliment, you young whippersnapper." The redhead threw his head back and laughed, and it was beautiful. Roxas blinked before chuckling softly along with him.

"I like you." Axel informed him, grinning and leaning forwards to ruffle his hair. Roxas' sad half-smile returned and he looked away. That was what he always used to do. He still did, but not so often. And their prolonged silences were hurting him. "Penny for 'em." Axel interrupted his thoughts. "Well, a mun, what with inflation and all." Roxas sighed and smiled a little more genuinely.

"Nothing that would interest you." He took another sip of his drink, not even tasting it. Axel smiled sympathetically, his eyes almost… sad. Why would he care about some unknown blonde loner in the back corner of a dusty bar?

"On the contrary, I find you very interesting. Boy troubles?" Roxas started, staring at the tall redhead.

"How'd you…?"

"Know you were gay?" Axel smiled a little wider, tilting his head to one side. "Lucky guess, I guess. Or maybe my gaydar's finally developing a little better. Or maybe I just recognised one of my own kind." Roxas blinked and chuckled softly, still depressed.

"I suppose. You are too, I take it?"

"Mmhm." Axel nodded. "But, due to your woebegone appearance, I'm guessing you either have an unrequited love or you're in the middle of an argument or your boyfriend is cheating on you." The redhead paused and Roxas closed his eyes. He could never bring himself to think of Tidus as a cheater, no matter what he knew. "Judging by the way you paled at that last one, it's a cheating boyfriend." Axel murmured. Roxas just stayed silent. "Why don't you just leave him?" Was the usual response to that admittance, but the lanky redheaded singer just stayed silent, offering wordless sympathy.

Three hours later, when Roxas was lying alone in his bed, staring at nothing, Tidus came blundering in and collapsed beside him, rumpled and smelling of sex and perfume.

"I love you." He slurred, planting a sloppy, wet kiss on Roxas' lips. And Roxas just sighed. He could never leave him. He was his everything. But he couldn't help but rehear the words of that song that Axel had been singing. 'If I cry will you hold me just like we rehearsed?'

And that was their first meeting.

AN: So, good? Bad? Please review and let me know what you think – it'll give me an incentive to write faster, which is really needed at this time. I'm being… So slow… Sorry ;(. Anyway, I hope you liked it. I'm gonna name the chapters that correspond with certain songs after them and if anyone wants the list of songs that inspired this; feel free to ask ^^.

OK, guys... Well, I wasn't really happy with using Hayner cos Roxas really needs to have an overprotective friend who hates his boyfriend etc etc, and Hayner's really the best one for that job. Besides... I hate making him the nasty one... ^^' eheh. Anyway, now it's Tidus cos he annoys me and... well it couldn't be anyone from the Org or Twilight Town and half of the other guys are gonna be together anyway... So yeah. It's Tidus. IDK who he's cheating with though, so... Any ideas? If you've already reviewed, then feel free to PM me with anything ;-) Much love to thee ^^ 3