Knowest thou the land where the lemon trees bloom

Warning: English is not my native language but i make sure to make it understandable.
Beta: wanna beta this story? Please let me know, I'd be really pleased.
Disclaimer: is KH yaoi? No, because I'm not Nomura.
Summary: Roxas Strife is the 17-years-old son of the rich entrepreneur Cloud Strife and despite his illness he lives 'happily' in New York, but his life changes completely during his unwanted permanence...in the little and enchanting city of Amalfi, in the southern Italy coast. Here he's hooked by a redhead who claims to teach him how to really live.
Pairings: Akuroku, Soriku, Zemyx and surprise.

Chapter 2 – Return the favour

Hey Axel, do you remember the promise you made me when we first met?

"The name's Axel, keep it in mind. And your feet are leaning on my boat"

"Oh, sorry...I-I didn't realize" he stand up. He watched as the redhead approached and moved to the side to make him room.

"Don't worry cutie" the so called Axel smiled and stopped next to him, before boarding on his ship "So, why that frown on your face? Don't you like here?"

Roxas lowered his head and tried his best to not blush more. He didn't understand why a stranger cared so much, and why was he blushing like a teenage girl. He shook his head, the answer was because he felt so out of place and didn't know how to act with people. Obviously not because a hot redhead was blabbing in front of him!

"Okay I got it, the cat got your tongue" the redhead took a step and boarded on his motorboat.

Roxas raised his gaze and took a look of the slender figure who was now dealing with some strange objects - he was wearing a simple green shirt and a skinny jeans, his red hair were left vacating on his shoulders and seemed even more brilliant as the setting sun was sinking in the Mediterranean Sea.

"Wonderful" the blond commented in ecstasy after that what seemed an eternity.

Axel turned toward the kid and raised his eyebrows "You said something?"

Roxas widened his eyes after having realized what he had said, he shook vigorously his head to clear his thoughts and turned his gaze away "I...I said that...the city is wonderful!" he blurted in a high-pitched tone. The last thing he needed was his brain playing some bad jokes.

Axel raised an eyebrow at his febrile movements. "Yeah...really wonderful" he nodded and then smirked deviously, "Just like you". The blond wanted to die in that exact moment but he preferred to not comment, his face had already exceeded all the possible shades of red.

There was a dense silence that followed that brief exchange of words.

Roxas glared again to his feet, as they were the most interesting stuff to watch in that moment - there was really nothing that was stopping him to go away, but he stayed there motionless.

"What are you doing?" his mouth worker again without the consent of his brain.

"Maintenance" the other explained not turning this time "There had been a violent storm in the past days...that was totally unexpected, in fact it took us all aback"

He saw Axel leave the wheel and went aft where there was the engine "Damn it need to be fixed, must ask Riku" he muttered himself and got off oh the vehicle.

"Hey kid" he called to gain the blond's attention "Wanna a ride?"

"What?!"

"It's getting dark, you should come back home" the redhead laughed and pointed with his head the upper part of the city "Come on. Don't you want to get over there all alone? I'm sure Juliet will be pleased to meet you"

"Juliet?"

"She'll definitely love you"

Roxas considered his offer. He was right he couldn't go all alone at home, from what he had seen his house was far from the harbor...oh yeah, he didn't even remember the way. But on the other hand he couldn't simply trust a guy he just met. A hot guy, he had to admit. And who the hell was Juliet? He didn't want to deal with a possible redhead's girlfriend.

"No thanks!"

Axel approached the blond again on the wharf "Sure you are weird, blondie...I'm offering you a ride-"

"Don't call me blondie, beanpole!"

"Beanpole? Man you're so cute"

"Wha-what about-"

"Uh...is it because we just met?" he cut the kid. He was wearing a thoughtful expression while brushing his chin with his thumb and his index finger "This is why you don't wanna a ride?"

The blond nodded uncertainly, he hoped to not hurt the redhead but instead Axel smiled and ruffled the kid's hair, gaining a groan in answer.

"Well, don't worry I'm not a kidnapper. Look this is a little town, we know all each other and I don't need any ransom"

"So how do you know where I live?"

"Told you, blondie. Little city, people talk, Porsche showy" he counted on his fingers.

"Okay okay whatever" the small blond sighed and raised his hands in defeat "Now stop calling me like that. I'm Roxas"

Axel grinned both because the other had accepted his offer and because the kid had actually a name. Roxas. What a sublime sound.

"So...where's your car? And who's Juliet?" the voice brought him back from his thoughts. He blinked a couple of time and noticed that the blond was scanning the entire area searching for a car, but with no results.

"Who said car?" Roxas saw Axel taking a few steps away and suddenly followed him. "Roxas, this is Juliet"

The redhead grinned while sitting on what it seemed a little motorbike.

No...it was a Vespa. A red flaming Vespa 50 scooter.

With only a rearview mirror.

It couldn't be possible, though Roxas slapping a hand on his forehead.

That man was totally out of mind.

"We must go" Leon leaned against the door, arms crossed on his chest and annoyed tone in his voice. He was watching the blond man who was standing in front on him and was turned toward the window.

"I told you we can't...yet"

"Cloud, you need it just like me!" he snapped despite the other man was still quiet. Leon took some steps forward and stopped just behind him and analysed the attentive expression that seemed to have worn the man as he peered out the window. "What's your problem now?"

Cloud turned slowly to the brunette, a sad look in his eyes.

"I just can't...my family needs me. I can't just always leave them" he lowered his gaze.

Leon passed a hand through his hair and sighed – he had to maintain his calm, Cloud was right that wasn't a great moment for the Strifes, but he couldn't help it, it had passed too much time.

"You have always left without any problem, you were always away for a long time but they still loved you just like you loved them. Now you're blaming yourself because you've almost lost your son and you weren't there" he stopped for a moment "But it's not your fault and now he's okay...it's your right being selfish every now and then"

Cloud stayed silent and sat in chair at his desk, while the dark haired man placed a letter of invitation on the shiny surface and slid it with his hand toward him.

"Convention in Paris" he explained, lowering his voice tone while the other met his gaze, "It's important...so if you love me then listen to me" were his last words before drawing back and vanish beyond the office door.

Cloud felt a shiver up his spine and he mentally cursed himself. But suddenly he felt miserable because every time the brunette man was involved, he couldn't help but bond to his wills. Everything about the man was too much for him: his tone, his gaze the way he moved, the way he was always so serious and made him change his mind...the way he called his name.

Clod had become his victim.

He hid his face in his hands and trembled.

"Fuck"

Stars were beginning to appear in the highest part of the sky and the night was descending, replacing the warm red sun, and bringing with himself a cool breeze.

The silence of the empty streets was broken only by a sharp humming of a really typical, vintage – as Axel pretended to define it, even if for Roxas seemed only antique – Vespa 50 dated 1965 and named Juliet.

"Car is too obvious and it's cumbersome. When I moved here I wanted to change my whole lifestyle, so, yeah, scooter, motorboat, no more drinking, healthy food...oh and a house with a view on the sea, I really can't stand anymore skyscrapers and shits" the redhead explained. In truth he had started blabbing since they left the harbor.

"Uh...Axel?" Roxas called him in a trembling whisper while he tightened the grip on his hips - it was his first time on that kind of vehicle so his defences were still raised, despite he was wearing a helmet and Axel wasn't driving fast.

"Yes?"

"Tell me..." he turned his gaze to the buildings that they were passing "When I walked along the city I saw a lot weird things...people wanted to greed and talk to me, there are lots of houses with their front doors left open and now I'm seeing them again. Why is that?"

"Roxas...all the populations seems similar to each other but when you watch more attentively you can notice some particular aspects. Italy is a country with a deep and ancient culture and its people are really friendly and hospitable, often you can find them oppressive but they're really caring...even if you're a stranger. But what you've noticed is something that hardly you will find anywhere, it's exactly in small places like here that you can feel the great heart of this people. When you see a front door open it means that who lives in that house is waiting for someone to come back home"

The small blond turned his gaze to the back of the man.

"Aren't they afraid of thieves or intruders?"

"There are none of them. Everyone knows each other, remember?"

Roxas nodded and remained silent for a while and then spoke again "I'm sorry...you know, for not having answered to your question before. It's not that I don't like the city...I totally hate the reason why we moved here", he hold his breath and squeezed his grip "I...I don't know why I'm telling you-...but"

The readhead keep quiet while driving and listening to the other but soon he approached a spacious corner of the street – it was a little terrace where you could enjoy the view on the sea - and turned off the engine.

"Uh?"

"It seems that you need a listener. Vent your feelings" Axel distended his legs on the ground and felt that the other petrifying behind him, so he continued "Don't worry I'll stay with my back turned to not see you...I know it can be awkward...but believe me, it's easier with a stranger"

The blond lowered his face and hid his eyes under his hair, he didn't know what to do – he couldn't just tell his private affairs to a person that he had just met. But he desperately needed to confide in somebody, even if that person didn't give a damn about him. For too long had he wept in silence and hold back his pain but he couldn't help it, his family had changed from that day, and even him was no more the same. No more laughters, no more happy moments, there was no longer the calm and warmth of before – now it was all fake smiles, tension, worry and anxiety, and and often happened to his parents to argue over him and what to be done.

A tear slid down his cheek.

"They're unhappy...I know it for sure. And they had to leave their good lives because of me" he gasped. He could feel his heartbeat increase his speed and brought a hand on his chest - he needed to stay calm, he couldn't collapse and make any more trouble. "Who...who would want to leave his perfect life and move to a small and unknown town?" he get off the vehicle and took some steps to calm down.

"Me" Axel had leaned on the handlebars of his Vespa and turned his head on the right where he could see the falling sun. "When I was younger I had always to move because of the work of my parents, I've lived in countless cities – not that that live was bad but when I arrived here I fell for this city and I decided to stay"

"Because you're a weird"

"Uhm- not at all..." he grinned but after a second of silence he continued "...and Amalfi is an exclusive city, not everyone can afford to move here, so...well, I don't believe your family is mad at you, because parents would do anything for their child, whatever is the reason"

Roxas rubbed his eyes with his arm and sobbed, but his words were cut by the redhead "Ye-yeah...but-"

"Just, give a chance...at least for summertime"

"It's too different"

"You can't live forever in the past"

"But I don't think I'll be able to deal with this whole new life!" Roxas cried without meaning to, eyes watering, but Axel didn't seem to notice, instead he get off to and approached the small blonde and with a hand turned his head to him, so he could reflect in those deep blue eyes.

"Then I'll help you" he whispered and looked at him with soft eyes "It will be my purpose, I won't leave you until you aren't happy. Give a chance to this city"

The blond saddened his glance and sighed "Why...why do you care so much?"

Axel looked at him for a long instant and then sighed.

"It's a long story...but time ago someone helped me too, it's called 'return the favour': you save the life of a person and that person will do the same for another person and so on"

The small blond sighed and kept his eyes down.

"Rox, look at me..."

He stood there motionless, but then he did as he was told and raised his eyes.

"I want to teach you how to really live, will you let me?"

"Why me?"

"Because I choose you. Will you trust me?" the red head asked as he received a hesitant nod in answer. He smiled warmly"Okay, give me a smile"

Roxas grinned heartily, and his cheek reddend - which was really appreciated to the redhead.

"Good...now, let's go, it's getting late" he led the other to his scooter.

They arrived a few minutes later, when Roxas pointed his house and told him to stop.

"It seems that someone is waiting for you" the redhead announced with a smile, noticing that the front door was left open.

Roxas heartened, smiled too and and slid down with a jump. "Thank you Axel, for anything"

"Anytime blondie, we are now friends" he nodded.

"Hey don't call me-"

"See you tomorrow, okay?"

"Uh?" He raised his eyebrows "Wha-wait! Where?"

Axel showed a cocky grin on his face and drove off with his Juliet "I'll make sure you'll find me"

Roxas stood there for a minute, looking where before there was the redhead and inside he smiles.

What a weird guy...but yeah, maybe he's right.

He tourned to the house and took a look - it really was a nice one - and finally decided to walk in. The inside was really big and was decorated in a simple but elegant way. In front of him there was a large glass double door, that lead into the garden and heard voices coming from there, so he followed them.

"Man, I love this place" the pleased tone of his brother was the first thing he heard, and when he arrived in the garden he found him in a whirlpool - that was connected to a large swimming pool -, and having a water message.

"Oi Rox!" Sora called him when he saw the blonde boy "You finally came back"

Roxas nodded and scanned the area, it was a huge terraced garden with a breathtaking view on the Gulf, with swimming pool and jacuzzi, there was a nice table with chairs next to a brick barbecue, and on his left he noticed a small greenhouse full of plants and flowers for his mother. And she was right there, watering the plants.

When she noticed Roxas' presence she raised, still with her watering can in her hands and approached her son, smiling warmly "We were waiting for you"

"Ye-yeah...I know" murmured clumsy lowering his head, a light blush on his cheeks.

"Did you like the city?"

He nodded and then heard the sound of splashing water, and then Sora approached them, with a towel on his shoulders.

"Rox you aren't gonna belive this, but today I've tasted the most delicious cake I've ever eaten in my whole life" he told with a wide grin on his childish face.

Roxas raised his eyebrows, suddenly interested "Did you left me a slice?"

"I'm sorry but it ended" he laughed.

"Sora! You-"

"Don't worry honey, this evening the first slice of cake is yours" Aerith assured him, running a hand through his hair.

"Am I interrupting something?" a fourth voice joined them, and the three of them turned surprised.

"Dad!" Sora, still wet, ran to the father and hugged him. "You're early today"

"No, you came at the right time, just like Roxas" the woman approached the man, together with the blond.

Still hugging Sora, with the other arm he got his son nearer to him "Yeah Leon told me, did you had a nice tour of the city?"

A tight smile curled his lips and nodded "Yeah"

"Everything's fine at work?" Aerith asked while Cloud released his sons and rested his lips on his wife's.

"Sure" he smiled too and then he turned to Sora and Roxas "Ok brats, get ready this evening we go out for dinner"

The air was soon filled with exults and laughters. Roxas watched as his parents smiled and chatted excitedly and thought that he was so long that he didn't see them so happy. Maybe Axel was right, a city can change people.

Yeah, maybe...maybe I can give a chance to the city...at least for summertime.

The cool night breeze touched his skin and ruffled his silver hair gently. A cold chill ran up his spine and he welcomed it as he scanned attentively the seascape.

Everything was dark, the sea, the sky, except for the moon high in the sky - it was so big and bright but far. And he instantly felt lost, lonely. He was wanderer who had lost his way and his only way out was the light, but he couldn't see it.

He raised a hand from his pocket to the sky and motioned to reach the moon, but it was still to far away.

Just wait, was what they told him.

For too long had he suffered and waited without any results, but now he was loosing all his hopes.

"How long do I have to wait?" he asked ironically.

But his words lost in the silence of the night.

...Axel, at that time you thought that it was me the person who need to be saved, but i was not the only.

A/N
Here the second chapter. I knew I said I'd have waited until 4 reviews but the chap was almost ready, tomorrow I'll leave and I need to take care of my thesis...so thanks to those who reviewed and I hope you'll appreciate this second chapter. At the beginning things may be confusing but in due course there will be all the explanations. And I'm afraid that this story will be really long and full of drama...omg stop me!
Please let me know what do you think about it and encourage me to update because otherwise...i think i'll be slow. So I urge even the silent readers to comment, since this is a website where it's essential to compare their own ideas.
See you next time.