Author's Note: Sorry for the short chapter. But the scene ended there and from now on the chapters will pretty much switch between Riku/Sora and Axel/Roxas POV.
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Axel was cursing himself as he ran across campus full tilt. Being late for his first day of class was not a good way to start the semester. Especially when some of his friends had told him horror stories about this professor.
"—and the nature of Justice in this day and age has become little more than a farce. Bending the rules and laws of this country whenever it suits – can I help you?" the Professor paused in his lecture and finally turned to glare at Axel where he stood panting in the doorway.
"Sorry I'm late," Axel wheezed out. That just got him another glare and a wave indicating that he should take a seat.
"To reiterate for the benefit of those who can't seem to show up on time," the professor said, and Axel cringed. "I am Professor Xemnas and this is Philosophy 324, the Philosophy of Justice." Axel tried to sink through his seat as Xemnas glared strait at him through his entire introduction before finally turning back to the class.
"We will start with a discussion on this question: when is it alright to kill another person?" The kid next to Axel raised his hand. With a rather cherubic face and his messy hair he looked way too young to be taking a 300 level class. Professor Xemnas gestured for the kid to talk as he pulled a few papers form his briefcase.
"Yes, Roxas wasn't it?"the kid nodded and Axel found him repeating the kids name in his head.
"Self defense. If someone if trying to kill you and the only way to stop them is to kill them instead," Xemnas had been handing Axel his syllabus as the boy answered. And the look that crossed the teachers face at his answer sent chills squirming down Axel's spine. His eyes got wide, eager, almost predatory and the smile that stretched his lips back from his teeth had more in common with a wolf's snarl than anything else.
"Indeed," Xemans said coolly, still looking at Roxas intently before turning back to the whole class. "Can anyone else think of a different reason?" There were a few more raised hands this time and soon the class was debating amongst themselves, with a few points thrown in by their teacher. And quite a few student's were surprised when it was announced that class time was up for the day.
"Interesting class, huh?" Axel asked as they made their way out of the classroom. The kid, Roxas, turned and looked at him as they both walked down the hall and out of the building. He tried to think of something else to say to continue their little one-sided conversation but Axel's thoughts stuttered and died as their eyes met. He didn't think he'd ever seen eyes that blue before. And he found himself holding his breath as the silence stretched between them and Roxas just continued to stare.
"You a criminal science major?" Axel asked his brain finally clawing itself back to the present, trying to break the uncomfortable silence.
"No, I'm not," he said shortly, looking at Axel warily. "Why are you talking to me? What do you want?" Axel frowned and shrank back a bit at his tone.
"I don't really want anything from you, just to talk you know?" he said quietly, taken back by the venom in the kid's voice. "I mean, we're going to be in the same class all semester and you looked kinda new. It'd suck not to know anyone in any of your classes, right?" he said hopefully. Some of the tension in the other boys shoulders lessened and he stopped scowling.
"That's it?" he asked, still skeptical. Axel nodded and smiled at him and Roxas raised an eyebrow. "Look, I have to go, was that all?" Axel paused, him mind racing again for something that would keep the (very cute) guy from leaving. He just wanted to talk to him. Really, was that too much to ask?
It apparently was, because Roxas took his silence as the end of their conversation and started walking away.
"Wait,"Axel jogged to catch back up to him.
"Can I have your phone number?" Axel asked and then paused, realizing how that could sound and quickly added, "I mean, cause, if either of us are sick or have to miss class or something it'd be a good idea to have someone to call and ask what we miss, you know?"
Roxas stopped and stared at the red haired man again in something like disbelief.
"Are you hitting on me?" he asked quietly.
"…no?" Axel said fearfully, internally cringing and berating himself. He always came on too strong, scared people off. He'd only been trying to be friendly; with, okay, maybe the hope it'd be more than that down the line. The guy was really cute. But that really hadn't been his intent right this second.
"I don't believe you," Roxas said, frowning at him and crossing his arms over his chest.
"I'm waiting to see if you're going to deck me or not," he replied evenly, pitching his voice to make it almost a joke but not quite; almost a dare. He just got another unnervingly long stare before Roxas sighed and shook his head.
"It would be pretty hypocritical if I did," he said as he started walking again.
"Really?" Axel's voice came out as an undignified squawk, but he was a bit to happy to care at the moment. "Can I change my answer?" Roxas looked over at him and shrugged and Axel smirked at him, just slightly. "I might have been hitting on you, ya know, just a little. Can I still have your number?"
Roxas paused again and rummaged through his bag. Axel was nearly vibrating in place he was so happy. The cute kid knew he was gay, didn't hate him, might actually be into him and he was getting his number. He was suddenly very glad he'd decided to take Xemnas' class even if the teacher was scary as all hell.
"Give me your number," Roxas said, breaking him from the happy little circles his brain was running in. Axel rattled it off and waited as he wrote it down. "I… don't have a lot of free time," Roxas said as he shoved a slip of paper at Axel, not meeting his eyes. "So I probably won't pick up. But I promise I'll call back when I can."
"That's fine,"Axel said, staring that the numbers and trying to memorize them. On a whim, and out of a bit of paranoia, he pulled out his cell and dialed the number. Roxas didn't bother answering when his phone rang, but he did smile, just a little.
"I'll see you later," he said, shaking his head and walking away. Axel let him leave this time. He was definitely looking forward to their next class.
