I Found You Here.
Axel rode his bike out to the countryside. He never went home; he just couldn't bare the empty apartment. He rode out to the moors and lost himself in the wind and soft rain. He knew exactly where he was, just not where he was going. He rode until the wind and rain stung at his neck and face. Until his mind cleared and he found the strength to go home. His mind often raced with thoughts of his lost love; how he had deserted him, cheated on him, beaten him and left him broken and hollow.
'How could he? I loved him…' Axels mind pondered.
"Didn't matter to him." Axel muttered aloud in reply.
'Why though? Why couldn't he love me? He said he did.'
"Saying and doing are completely different."
'But he said…'
"He LIED!"
'But why...'
"Because you wouldn't let him fuck you."
'I wasn't ready.'
"I know…but he didn't care."
'No, he didn't. So why do I hurt so?'
"Because you don't feel anything else."
'I'm hollow, cold, and worthy of no one.'
"I'm hollow, cold, and worthy of no one."
Axel parked his bike in the garage and locked up. Still unable to face the apartment, he decided to take a walk. The rain was pouring and drenched him to the bone in minutes, but he cared not. Axel walked the grey streets, letting his mind wander until he was brought back to earth with a bump, literally. He collided with someone, or someone collided with him, either way, Axel found himself on the wet floor with a shooting pain in his behind.
"Nice going there…" Axel muttered to the other person who also shared the puddle Axel sat in. The other person was wearing a hooded jacket with the hood pulled over his face. A distinct lack of chest proved that it was indeed a guy. The hood came down to revile a head of gravity defying blond hair. Blond hair and a scowl; Roxas.
Axel picked himself up and offered his hand to Roxas. The blonde looked at the out stretched hand and got up, ignoring it. He began to walk away but Axel caught his arm.
"Whoa there, hold on a moment. You're Roxas right?" Axel said, pulling the blonde back a little.
"Yeah, so what?" Roxas snapped back.
"I'm Axel…you joined my music class."
"Your point?" Roxas said, looking annoyed.
"What are you doing out in this weather?" Axel asked, dusting some dirt off his trousers.
"What am I doing? Being kicked out of my fucking house is what!" Roxas yelled, pushing Axel away. He took off down the street but Axel gave chase.
"Listen kid, this is not the kind of weather you should be out in."
"Why do you care?" Roxas muttered, thinking he didn't hear.
"Well, I try to be a decent human sometimes, when I feel shit enough. I have really good hearing by the way."
"Look, can't you just fuck off?"
Axle smirked a little.
"I take it you actually have a destination then?" He stated.
"What? Are you saying you've never gone on a mindless wander when you're pissed off?"
Axel chuckled at the stubborn blond.
"So you don't have anywhere to go, and its chucking it down with rain."
"My, aren't we observant? Well done dumb-ass."
"All I'm saying is; my apartment is just down the road…you can stay there if you want. Until you're let back into your house." Axel said. Roxas stopped and glared at him.
"And why would I want to do that?"
"Because, if you stay out all night in this weather, you will freeze to death."
Roxas eventually agreed to follow Axel to his apartment. The door to the dingy apartment swung to with a thud that resounded throughout the rooms. Axel busied himself with tidying away some of the clutter while Roxas stood in the doorway, unsure as to what to do.
"Well, don't just stand there, come on in. It's not much…but its home I guess."
Roxas walked further into the apartment and took in his surroundings. The walls where painted in what was once white, but was now a dirty off-grey colour. The carpet was in bad need of cleaning, as trampled and faded as it was. The whole places had a very beaten look to it. Axel was right; it wasn't much at all.
"So…Roxas. What's say we get you out of those clothes?" Axel said, emerging from the bedroom. Roxas looked alarmed.
"What?" he spluttered, completely taken back. Axel laughed to himself.
"Calm down kid, I'm not trying to get you into bed. You're clothes are soaking. Last thing we want is for you to catch pneumonia or something. Go take a shower and you can borrow some of my clothes."
Roxas felt the confusion in him rise, and suddenly found it unbearable.
"Not to sound ungrateful or anything, but why are you doing this for me? Why are you being so…nice?"
Axel looked amused as he leaned against the small breakfast bar.
"'Shower's through there kid." He said, indicating the door. "We'll do the whole bonding thing once you're dressed."
Roxas did as he was told and, locking the door behind him, stepped into the hot shower. He noticed there was only one type of shampoo on the shelf, but there was a lot of it. It smelled like cinnamon and apple, reminding Roxas of the apple pies his grandmother made. Roxas became lost in his thoughts and only snapped back when Axel knocked on the door.
"'You okay kid?" Axel's voice came from the other side of the door.
"Yeah…be right out." Roxas replied, stepping out of the shower. He found, to his great surprise and embarrassment that a neat pile of clothes had appeared by the bath; Axle must have snuck in and placed them while Roxas was lost in thought. Roxas pulled on the boxers, the pale blue shirt and the faded green combats. He left the bathroom and found Axel cooking in the kitchen.
"Grab a seat kid…I hope you like waffles…" Axel said, not looking away from the waffle-iron. "I hope you don't mind that I snuck in while you where showering…Not that I peeked or anything."
"Yeah…I was wondering how the clothes got there…thanks by the way."
"Eh, no biggie. They fit right?"
Axel turned around with a large plate, piled high with steaming waffles and a bottle of syrup.
"Yeah, just right."
Axel set the plate on the table and sat opposite Roxas. Axel piled on some waffles so Roxas followed suit. The sense of uncertainty suddenly gone.
"So…are you, um…" Roxas started through half a waffle.
"Gay? Yeah, I guess. 'Never had much time for girls…first three really ruined the whole 'straight' thing for me."
"Oh…"
"So what about you? What's your preference?"
Roxas set his knife down and pushed a waffle around the syrup puddle of a plate.
"My brother's gay…he and Riku have been dating for years."
Axel shovelled in another waffle, watching Roxas with interest. His face was contorted with a mixture of thoughts.
"That's not what I asked. It's obvious that Riku and your bro are an item, but what about you?"
"…I never thought about it. I went out with a girl once…she ditched me for someone else, another girl."
"Yowzer…"
"Yeah…so I don't really, y'know, try that much. No point anyway."
Axel grinned over his fork.
"Ahhh…a little sexually curious are we?"
Roxas frowned at his plate.
"No…I'm not gay. Much to my mother's dismay…"
"What about your mom?"
"She practically threw a banquet when Sora and Riku came out…of course…Riku has a special place in my mom's heart."
"How so?"
"My mom…my mom used to date Riku's mom, before she met Dad…"
Axel dropped his fork in laughter.
"Oh baby yes…MILF on MILF porno!"
"Urgh…It's gross…"
"It's hot…"
"It's rank!"
"It's masturbation material."
"It's sick!"
"It's pleasing."
"I thought you where gay."
Axel picked up his fork and continued eating.
"Two horny homosexual MILFs going at it like jack-rabbits? Even gay's can appreciate that."
Roxas scowled at the table.
"Thanks for the waffles."
"So…when will your parents let you back in?"
Axel and Roxas had crashed on the couch, flicking through channels on the TV. Nothing was on, as always. Axel couldn't afford to get Cable or Sky, so he made do with normal TV and his extensive anime and Marvel DVD collection.
"Dunno…I guess they'll phone me and yell at me a bit more…tell me I'm grounded and to get my ass home right away." Roxas said, flipping through a random magazine.
"It's half nine…they call you before midnight right?"
"Yeah right…when I'm kicked out, I'm out. I just find a park bench or something…I'd go to Riku's but he's…um…well, he's busy"
"You mean he and Sora are currently riding the Hobby Horse?"
"Yeah…so I'll um…I'll leave you be…thanks for everything." Roxas said, standing up and moving towards the door.
"Woah, hold on…you saying you're gonna just crash in the park?" Axel said, standing also.
"I've done it before, it's no big deal."
"Fuck that, you're staying here." Axel said, pulling a disgusted face. His apartment wasn't much, but it was sure better than a park bench.
"No, really…you've done more than enough. I'll just be in your way…"
"Kid, it's still raining, it's near freezing, and the park is suicide to be near at this hour. Don't argue; you're staying here 'till your parents ring."
"You ever watched The Professional?"
Roxas didn't argue. He didn't say a word, nor did he frown or scowl. He found he couldn't, as much as he wanted to. He let Axel lead him back to the couch and sat down again while the redhead rummaged through his DVDs.
"No…I don't think so."
"Aw man…you don't know what you're missing. Okay, how about La Femme Nikita?"
Roxas shook his head.
"Do you live under a rock? Two of the best films in the world and you've never seen them?"
"Nope."
"Oh Jesus…okay, um…The Nightmare Before Christmas?"
Axel's eyes became as wide as plates when Roxas shook his head.
"Right…I am going to educate you in the art of good movies. Sit there and watch." Axel said in a determined tone. He slipped the disk in and dropped beside Roxas.
"This, Roxas, is one of the best movies ever made."
Roxas watched the animated film with fascination. There was a magical attraction to the film that Roxas found to be intoxicating. The characters, the world, the plot, all of it sucked Roxas in and held him in a trance until the end credits rolled. It was near midnight when Roxas pried his eyes away from the screen and saw Axel in a similar trance.
"Wow…" Roxas breathed. He hadn't noticed, but he'd been holding his breath for most of the film.
"I know…I remember the first time I saw it…nearly passed out."
Axel looked over to Roxas.
"Wanna see something cool?"
Roxas nodded. Axel jumped off the couch and disappeared into one of the rooms. He appeared seconds later with an electric guitar, old and beaten up, and a cable.
"Does that thing still work?" Roxas asked, staring at the guitar.
"Fender Telecaster…you can run them over in a 4X4 and they'll still work. Well, maybe not but…this one just never gets out of tune."
Axel linked the guitar up to an old amp in the corner of the room and sat down.
"Right…watch."
Pulling out a pick, Axel played the Halloween Town theme. Roxas grinned as the haunting tune reached his ears. Axel played it through twice before leading it off to The Animals Went In Two By Two and the Star Wars theme. Axel grinned at Roxas' grin.
"Good eh?"
"Amazing…how do you do that?"
"Dunno…I just do. I always found theme tunes to be more fun to play, but I got into Buckethead last year and…I've been hooked ever since. Even installed a kill-switch on my Gibson just so I could play Jordan."
"You play really well."
Axel packed away the guitar and lead, returning them to the side room. When he came back, Roxas was falling into a deep slumber.
"C'mon Goldilocks, time for bed." Axel said, tugging on his arm.
"Mmmm…go sleep…I'll stay here." Roxas said, drowsy and sleepy.
"To hell with that, you'll take the bed. The couch is mine little man." Axel said with a laugh.
"Mm…not…little." Roxas said, burying his face in a pillow.
"Whatever…c'mon." Axel grabbed Roxas' arm and pulled him off the couch and carried him into his bedroom, slung over his shoulder. He lowered Roxas onto his bed and covered him with the duvet.
"Right…sleep and stay asleep."
Roxas scooted over to the far side of the double bed.
"Share."
Axel chuckled to himself. A tired Roxas was an adorable sight.
"Nu-uh. I don't sleep with straight guys Rox'."
"Pretend I'm gay then."
Axel laughed, smiling from ear to ear.
"Oh god…as tempting as it is…"
"Just…for a minute…"
Axel sighed as he belly-flopped onto the mattress. Roxas pulled the covers over his head and hid, for reasons unknown to Axel.
"Be nice and share." Axel said, pulling at the covers. Roxas yielded, groaning at the loss of the big, squishy duvet.
"You found me …" Roxas mumbled with a yawn, rolling into Axel's side.
"I guess I did…I found you here…" Axel muttered, eyeing Roxas with mild amusement.
"Finders…keepers…"
"Hay Rox'?"
"Mm-hm?"
"Can…can I keep you?"
"Finders…keepers…"
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A/N: Um, okay, number 2. Yeah, it's been pollished...all of the current chapters have. Keep reviewing peeps, and remember: there's more to come!
