(A/N): Does anyone even remember me starting this story? Wow. Huge apologies for the lag between updates, guys. I'll try not to let it go quite so long next time. To answer a few questions I've received regarding this fic: No, this will probably not be anywhere near the length Waiting was. We'll probably be lucky to break double digits. Nor is this affiliated with Waiting in any way. It is not the Bride, Son, or Return of Waiting. Just so there are no misunderstandings there. That said, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and forgive me for taking so long to get it up.
Disclaimer: Not in this (or any other) universe.
Drive Until
Axel threw himself into the driver's seat, only glancing over briefly as Roxas curled in his seat again, propping his feet on the dashboard. "Put on your seatbelt." The redhead only rolled his eyes and grinned when Roxas glared at him, but he didn't pull off the side of the road until Roxas fastened his belt.
Grumbling under his breath, Roxas settled back in his seat and tried to force away some of the tension singing through his body as he watched his car dwindle away into nothing in the side-view mirror. He kept his eyes glued to the delicate webbing of frost on the glass long after his car had disappeared from view, unconsciously clenching his jaw as he waited for the questions he was sure were coming.
The silence stretched on until it seemed Roxas could actually feel it pressing down on him, but Axel didn't say a word. The redhead kept his eyes glued to the road, one finger occasionally tapping a vague rhythm against the steering wheel. Roxas frowned and shifted slightly, sinking down further in his seat and crossing his arms over his chest. Axel glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, but remained silent.
Roxas's frown deepened into a scowl as he tapped one heel uneasily against the dashboard. "Do you have a radio in this thing?" he asked abruptly, glaring out the window. He thought he could feel Axel's eyes on him briefly before the redhead chuckled.
"It's busted."
Of course it was. Roxas blew out a controlled breath before he twisted around and retrieved his bag from the back seat. Axel didn't even glance at him as Roxas dug his battered CD player out of the duffle bag and slipped the headphones over his ears. Roxas ground his teeth together as he dumped his bag on the floor and rested his temple against the chilled glass of the car window.
The guy had to have questions – why didn't he just ask them already?
Music throbbed dully in Roxas's ears as stripped fields flashed by on either side of the road, and he let his eyes slide closed as the vibrations from the vehicle thrummed through his skull. Just once, it would be nice if something would go right. He winced as they struck a shallow pothole, his head bouncing against the window so hard that he straightened in his seat, grumbling. He saw Axel glance at him out of the corner of his eye, but it didn't look like the redhead's lips moved in any form of apology. Scowling, Roxas resettled in his seat and spared another glance out the window – nothing but barren earth for miles. With a sigh, he let his eyes slide closed again.
Axel shook him awake a few hours later. The redhead sat back and watched Roxas stretch, expression implacable. "You sleep too much, kid," Axel informed him, eyes glinting as he tilted his head to the side.
Roxas scowled, both at the comment and at the crick that had developed in his neck from sleeping in such a cramped position. "Where are we?" he grumbled, reaching up to try and rub the ache away. Axel shrugged.
"Pan's Pizzeria." Roxas turned and glared at him, but Axel only rolled his eyes. "I didn't catch the name of the town on the exit sign, okay? You really need to learn to relax," he added, pushing himself up and out of the car. Roxas jerked his headphones off irritably and shoved them back in his bag before following.
Roxas had to sidestep an old man with a walker and two preteen girls who giggled as he walked past to catch the redhead again. Axel was already in line, hands in his pockets and head tilted back, studying the menu hanging behind the counter. "What do you like?" he asked as Roxas came to stand beside him. Roxas frowned and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
"Whatever."
Axel didn't respond, but Roxas caught the way the man's lips curved from the corner of his eye. Hunching his shoulders irritably, Roxas glared at the floor and did his best to ignore the redhead. Neither of them spoke again until they drew even with the counter. Axel dug his wallet out of his back pocket as he gave their order. "Gimme a slice of pepperoni and a slice of anchovies. And two large Cokes." He shot a glance at Roxas. "You do like Coke, right, kid?"
Roxas bristled at the redhead's tone, but Axel only smirked and turned away from him again. The redhead took the two large cups the counter jockey handed him and thrust them at Roxas, trying to slip his change back into his wallet at the same time. "Go get the drinks, okay?" Roxas glared at the man for another moment before he grabbed the cups away from the redhead and stomped toward the soda machine. Behind him, the two girls broke into a fresh round of giggles.
Doing his best not to crush the cups in his hands, Roxas shoved them beneath the nozzles and tried to ignore the high-pitched laughter. When the cups were full he fumbled the lids on and grabbed up two straws. He jumped when a voice spoke close to his ear.
"You done yet?"
Roxas glared at Axel as he grabbed the sodas – the redhead was holding one of the obnoxiously orange trays with both their pizzas on it on thin paper plates. Axel only grinned at Roxas's expression before he turned and headed for one of the small booths in the dining area. Stamping down on the almost overwhelming urge to throw the man's soda at his arrogant head, Roxas followed.
Axel slid into the small booth, waiting until Roxas had seated himself to grab his soda and hand the blond his slice of pizza. Roxas blinked down at his plate as Axel removed the lid from his soda and took a long swallow. "What the hell is this?" Roxas finally managed, jabbing a finger accusingly at his plate.
Axel's smile was razor-sharp as he regarded his own slice of pizza. "It's your lunch."
"It's anchovies."
Axel's eyes flashed across his for a moment before the redhead returned to the contemplation of his own food. "That it is."
"What the hell, Axel?" Roxas's hands closed into fists, and he forced them open again, laying his palms flat against the table. "What the hell makes you think I'd like anchovies?"
Axel sank back in his seat, arching an eyebrow at Roxas as he tapped one finger against the tabletop. "I asked you what you wanted," he reminded him mildly, lips twitching as he tried to suppress a smirk. Roxas scowled, hating the other man's smug expression.
"Yeah, but…" He trailed off, glaring at his slice of pizza as he realized he didn't have a leg to stand on in the argument.
He heard Axel sigh, and then the redhead was leaning forward, propping his elbows on the table and staring at Roxas. "Look, kid," he started, ignoring the way Roxas frowned at him, "I'm not a goddamn baby-sitter. If you want something, say so – I don't have the time or inclination to play twenty questions every time we stop to get something to eat, got it?" Roxas glanced away before he nodded, sinking down in his seat and crossing his arms disconsolately over his chest.
Axel stared at him for another moment before he sighed again and grabbed Roxas's plate. "Stupid kid," he muttered, shoving the slice of pepperoni at the blond. Roxas glanced up at him, expression wary, but Axel only rolled his eyes before taking a theatrical bite of anchovy pizza. Roxas felt his lips lift in a grudging smile as he picked up the slice of pepperoni.
Neither of them spoke again until they were leaving the restaurant; Roxas paused at the door while Axel dumped their trash in the receptacle, then shoved through it with a muttered, "Thanks." He heard the redhead laugh softly behind him, but he didn't look back.
Axel dug his pack of cigarettes out of his pocket before sliding behind the wheel. "You mind?" he asked, glancing over at Roxas as he tapped out a fresh one. Roxas shook his head, sinking down in his seat and propping his feet on the dashboard. "Good. Put on your seatbelt."
"So you gonna tell me about it?"
Roxas blew his breath out in exasperation, his gaze flicking briefly to Axel before he returned his attention to the scenery flashing past his window. The redhead had abstained from conversation since leaving the pizzeria – Roxas had dared to hope the man genuinely didn't care about where he was going and why. "There's nothing to tell," he mumbled, resting his temple against the glass.
"Uh-huh." Axel took one last drag on his cigarette before he flicked it out the window. "Of course there isn't." Roxas scowled and reached for his headphones, but his CD player refused to come to life.
"Can we stop?"
Axel glanced at him as he blew out his last breath of smoke. "For what?"
"Batteries."
"No." Roxas whipped his head around to glare at Axel as the redhead rolled up his window.
"Why not?" he demanded.
"Because I just got back on the highway – I'm not getting off again already. You can deal with no music for a while, kid."
"Stop calling me that," Roxas growled, beating a fist against his thigh in frustration. "I'm not a damn kid."
"So you keep telling me," Axel said dryly. "Be serious, Roxas – what are you? All of seventeen?" Roxas glared out the window.
"Eighteen, thank you," he grumbled. Axel smirked.
"I stand by my assessment."
"Shut up."
To his surprise, Axel did, though Roxas caught that sharp smile flashing across the redhead's face from the corner of his eye. Grumbling under his breath, Roxas shifted in his seat until he was comfortable, then let his eyes fall closed again. He was just beginning to doze when Axel's voice roused him again.
"So where are you from? Am I allowed to ask that, at least?"
Roxas blinked as he straightened in his seat, trying to process the question. "What?"
Axel glanced at him for a moment before rolling his eyes and returning his attention to the road. "I said where are you from?"
Roxas hesitated for a second, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Axel glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, and Roxas frowned and glanced back out the window, one leg jittering against the dashboard. "Twilight Town."
Axel arched an eyebrow and gave a low whistle. "You made it all the way out here from Twilight Town?" He glanced over at Roxas, expression speculative. "Maybe you're not as hopeless as you look, kid."
"Thanks," Roxas muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.
"So why'd you leave?"
Roxas bit the inside of his cheek before letting his breath out in a silent sigh, shoulders slumping. "There was no reason to stay," he muttered. An image of his sister's eyes, huge with hurt and confusion, rose unbidden in his mind, and he curled into himself a little more tightly as he waited for it to fade.
"Uh-huh."
Roxas could feel Axel's eyes on him, and he forced steadiness back into his voice. "So where are you from?"
"The town that never was." Roxas glanced over in bemusement to find Axel grinning at him.
"What the hell kind of answer is that?" he mumbled, resting his head back against the headrest. Axel shrugged, his grin widening as he returned his attention to the road.
"An honest one," he answered. "That's what it may as well have been called, anyway. You wouldn't know where the hell I was talking about if I did tell you, so it doesn't really matter, does it?"
Roxas snorted, feeling a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "So what are you doing out here?"
Axel's eyes gleamed as he glanced at Roxas with a smug smirk. "Picking up strays on the side of the road." Roxas couldn't repress the grin that split his lips as he flipped the redhead the bird before rolling his head to stare at the carpeted ceiling.
"You're an ass, you know that?"
"You're shouldn't pour on the sweet nothings like that, Roxas," Axel said dryly. "One of these days you're really going to hurt my feelings."
"Right," Roxas muttered. Axel reached over and ruffled Roxas's hair, grinning when the blond glared at him and swatted his hand away.
"Stupid kid."
"Shut up."
"The Neptune Inn?" Roxas asked, raising an eyebrow at Axel as the redhead pulled the car into the parking lot. Axel rolled his eyes as he put the vehicle in park and pocketed his keys.
"Like the Highwind was so much better," he shot back. Roxas mumbled under his breath as he grabbed his bag and shoved his door open. He trailed Axel to the office, shivering slightly in the cold air.
The counter was deserted, but a bell sat next to a small cardboard sign: "Please ring the bell for assistance. It is our pleasure to help you." Axel arched an eyebrow at the sign before his lips twisted up in a sardonic smile.
"What?" Roxas asked, drawing his fingers up inside his sleeves.
"Nothing," Axel muttered, smacking his hand down on the bell. "Bet you no one comes."
As if to contradict him, there was a clatter from the area behind the counter, and they both heard a muttered, "Okay, okay, I'm comin'." A man with broad forearms and a large potbelly ambled into view, his tie loose and his hair sticking up in two strange tufts above his ears. He regarded them sourly for a moment before his face split into a grin so large and artificial it made Roxas's cheeks hurt. "Hello there! What can I do for ya this fine evening?"
"We need a room," Axel said, his expression implacable.
"With two beds," Roxas hurriedly added. Axel's lips twitched, but the redhead remained mercifully silent.
"Sure, sure." The man – whom Roxas assumed to be the manager – took Axel's credit card and sidled over to his computer. "You guys only stayin' the one night?"
"Yeah," Axel replied, throwing an amused glance at Roxas.
"Okay, sure, nothin' wrong with that," the manager continued. His big head nodded continuously as he ran Axel's credit card number through his computer. Finally, apparently satisfied, he plucked a key card from beneath the desk and handed it over along with Axel's card. "You folks have any luggage with you?" he asked. Not waiting for an answer, he bellowed, "PJ!"
"We're fine," Axel interjected, clapping a hand to Roxas's shoulder and pulling the blond away from the counter.
"You sure?" the man called after them.
"Definitely," Axel muttered, pulling Roxas through the door. Roxas glanced up at him, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Not a word," Axel groused, grinning in spite of himself as he cuffed the blond across the back of the head.
They stopped at the car long enough to grab their bags and then proceeded to their room. Axel stepped inside, flipped the light on, and groaned. "Their interior decorator should be roasted alive," he grumbled, throwing his bag on the foot of the closest bed.
"Um."
Roxas blinked at the eclectic décor, shifting the strap of his duffle bag on his shoulder. Axel didn't look around as he shrugged out of his coat. "Not. A. Word out of you," he grumbled. "I will leave you here." Roxas did a poor job of suppressing a snicker before moving into the room, pulling the door closed behind him.
"It's not that bad," he offered, moving past Axel and settling his bag on the other bed. Axel snorted, perching on the edge of the bed to untie his boots.
"It sucks," he said flatly. "It's changed hands since I was out here last."
Roxas glanced at him as he took off his own jacket, running a hand through his hair distractedly. "You've been here before?"
Axel grunted, tossing his boots into the corner before pulling his bag into his lap. "I've been all up and down this area." Green eyes flashed as he glanced at Roxas for a moment. "Never been out to Destiny Islands, though."
"Mm." All too aware of the speculative gleam in the redhead's eyes, Roxas made a show of rummaging around in his bag until he came out with a pair of pajama bottoms. "I'm gonna get changed and hit the sack – I'm beat." Axel's lips curved in a rueful smile as the blond turned away.
"Sure, Roxas."
Once he was safely in the bathroom, Roxas splashed cold water on his face, letting it drip from his chin and bangs as he stared at himself in the mirror. So what if Axel was curious. He was still moving. That was all that mattered.
"There was no reason to stay."
Roxas gripped the edge of the sink and ducked his head before he turned away from the mirror, grabbing the hand towel and scrubbing savagely at his face. He changed quickly before gathering his clothes into his arms and nudging the bathroom door open with his elbow.
Axel was sitting cross-legged on his bed when Roxas emerged from the bathroom. "You gonna tell me about it yet?" he asked mildly, tilting his head to the side.
"Bathroom's free," Roxas muttered, dumping his dirty clothes into a rough pile on top of his duffle bag. Axel stared at him for a moment before he glanced at the open bathroom door.
"So it is," he sighed, pushing himself up. Roxas steeled himself for the sound of the redhead slamming the door, but it only clicked softly as Axel closed it behind him. Roxas blew out a quiet breath and slid between the sheets, pulling them up to his chin and turning to face the wall. He heard rather than saw Axel emerge from the bathroom, but he waited until the redhead flipped the light off to speak.
"Night, Axel."
For a moment there was silence save for the whisper of the sheets as Axel climbed into bed; then the redhead chuckled tiredly. "Night, kid."
Roxas lay awake for a while, staring sightlessly at the wall and listening to the soft chirring of the crickets underneath the window. His mind churned, always coming back to the answer he'd given to Axel's question.
"So why'd you leave?"
"There was no reason to stay."
Roxas groaned softly and pulled the blankets over his head, turning his face into his pillow. With the thick comforter tucked around his head, the only sound he could hear was the beating of his own heart. Finally, his eyes slipped closed and his mind sank into oblivion.
Axel woke him the next morning by ripping the blankets away from him. Startled into a sitting position by the sudden absence of warmth, Roxas groaned and pressed his hands over his eyes before flopping back down onto his pillow.
"It's too early," he grumbled, turning his face away from the morning light streaming through the open blinds.
"Good morning to you, too," Axel smirked, moving around the end of the bed and perching on the edge of his own mattress. "Time to get up, kid." Roxas groaned into his pillow in protest, but he pushed himself up, wiping the sleep from his eyes as he glared at the redhead. Axel only grinned at his expression – he was already dressed, his hair still damp from the shower. "Up."
Not bothering to try and suppress a giant yawn, Roxas swung his legs over the edge of the bed, propping his elbows on his knees and resting his head in his hands. "It's too early," he muttered petulantly. Across from him, Axel only sighed and leaned over to grab his bag.
"Come on, get moving," he ordered, tossing it at the blond. Roxas barely managed to grab it before it hit the floor again. He glared at the redhead, but Axel only arched an eyebrow at him and pointed at the bathroom.
"I hate you," Roxas mumbled, but he pushed himself up and staggered into the bathroom. He slammed the door on Axel's smug expression.
After a quick shower, Roxas poked his head back into the room to find Axel sitting in the exact same position. He rolled his eyes at the way Axel grinned at him before pushing himself up off the mattress.
"Okay," Axel stated, dragging a hand through his hair. "Time to go."
"What about breakfast?" Roxas objected, slinging his duffle bag over his shoulder. Axel shrugged, already moving toward the door.
"We'll get something on the road."
Axel unlocked the car before heading for the manager's office; Roxas threw his bag into the back before curling in his seat, making a point to buckle his seat belt with a sardonic smile before propping his feet on the dashboard. Axel emerged from the office and slid behind the wheel, glancing over at Roxas before digging his cigarettes out of his pocket.
"Gonna tell me about it yet?"
Roxas laughed tiredly and sank down in his seat, resting his temple against the car window. "No."
Axel grinned and settled a cigarette between his lips before he put the car in reverse. "Fine," he muttered, resting his hand against Roxas's headrest as he backed out of the parking space. "I've got time."
Roxas rolled his eyes at the redhead's sharp grin. "Awful confident, aren't you?" he muttered. Axel didn't answer, but his grin widened as they headed back toward the highway.