Chapter 2

The Wager

Summary:

A bet is made to right a wrong.

Shivers and butterflies erupted in Roxas' body. His hand brushed past the offered popsicle and went straight for the back of Axel's neck, pulling him forward into a kiss. Roxas hadn't been aware how hungry he had been for Axel until he had felt the other man's touch. Axel's breath was warm while his lips were cool. It was an electrifying combination. Roxas licked Axel's lips greedily and poked his tongue into the crease diving upper and lower lip. Axel obliged and parted them, taking Roxas in like they had never been apart.

Their tongues wrestled for a moment but Roxas gave in and let Axel dominate his mouth. He enjoyed the taste and tang of the sea salt flavor on Axel's tongue, and began sucking on him like he was an ice cream. Roxas heard and felt the growl that emanated from Axel's throat. It made the throbbing in his pants stronger and the tightness in his abdomen harder and more intense.

Roxas was fully prepared and willing to have sex with Axel right then and there. The uncertainty of his feelings was gone and it felt just like three years ago. He would be happy to pick right up from where they had left off if Axel was prepared and wanting the same.

Judging by the hot hand which was beginning to lift the hem of Roxas' shirt in the hope of making contact with bare skin, Roxas thought that Axel probably felt the same way. Roxas used his other hand, which wasn't pressed against Axel's neck, to help the man untuck his shirt, but Roxas' phone began buzzing loudly in his back pocket.

Roxas would have ignored it if he had been able to repress the laughter that bubbled forth.

He had to disengage the kiss and pull away, shaking with laughter. He very reluctantly got up to make access to his phone easier, fishing it out, whilst simultaneously moving his other hand into Axel's hair. He knew he was being silly, but for a moment he was scared that Axel would vanish if he lost contact with him.

Roxas didn't need to look in order to know who it was. Still laughing Roxas picked up and put the call on loudspeaker as he wanted to share this with Axel.

"Cloud! You bastard!" he shouted loudly. The smile didn't leave Roxas' face.

Cloud's laughter echoed through the phone. "What? I'm just ringing to check up on my little brother, like you wanted me to. Did I catch you at a bad time?" came the teasing voice.

"The worst time. Are we even now?" asked Roxas in good cheer.

"Not by a long shot. I take it Axel's there."

"Sup, Spiky!" came Axel's amused yet casual tone. Axel swiveled around, placing his feet back on solid ground and pulled Roxas' hips towards him, moving the boy - no - man now - between his legs to embrace him while Roxas stood before him.

For a moment Roxas felt embarrassed because Axel would surely be able to feel his erection, being pressed so close to him. But then judging by the pleased look Axel gave him, and the way the other man pulled Roxas even closer towards his body must have meant that there was nothing to worry about.

A female voice could be heard in the background of the phone, followed by some rustling, bringing Roxas' attention back to what had interrupted them.

"Give it here!" came Yuffie's unmistakable tone.

"Roxas! Is Axel there?"

Roxas looked down on Axel who was busy leaving kisses and licks on Roxas' stomach, but still keeping one sultry green eye directed upwards at Roxas. That look made Roxas want to drop everything and kiss the other man. Instead Roxas gently thrust his hips against Axel's chest, enjoying the friction and pressure between the two of them.

"Yeah," he said huskily. Axel was certainly there.

"Good! Now you listen here Mister! You hurt my Roxy and I will come up there and break you!"

Roxas chuckled.

"Your Roxy, huh? Looks like he's mine right now." Axel quickly squeezed the front of Roxas' pants causing a squeak to escape Roxas' mouth.

Sounds of agitation emanated from the other side of the line.

"You better make sure Roxas has the best birthday."

"Oh you don't have to worry about that," rumbled Axel's voice against Roxas' skin.

There was more noise in the background.

"Gimmie that!"

"No!"

Roxas just smiled as the ruckus was going on. Eventually the phone was passed around to everyone and they each in turn wished Roxas a happy birthday.

Selphie held a mini tirade about not being able to throw Roxas a party, but Roxas reminded her of the farewell she had thrown and how much he had appreciated it. That seemed to calm her a little but she was still left huffy.

Eventually Yuffie's voice came back on.

"I'll go and see if any treasure got left for you in the cave."

"Thanks, Yuffie."

Some silence fell.

"I miss you. You look after yourself, ok? And make sure that guy doesn't break your heart or there'll be hell to pay. I love you, Roxas."

Roxas smiled. He knew Yuffie only ever used the L word when she was trying to make others jealous, or establish her importance in relation to him. Roxas ventured a glance at Axel who had cocked an eyebrow and left firmer kisses and nips on Roxas' abdomen. He guessed that her strategy was working.

"I love you too, Yuffie. Now can you let me talk to Cloud?"

She reluctantly agreed and in a few moments Cloud's voice came on again.

"Happy birthday, Rox. I hope you have a great time."

"Thanks, Cloud. I think I will. How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine, Roxas. Have a great day."

Roxas thought that Cloud sounded extremely tired and for the first time that morning frowned.

All of a sudden Axel actually seemed to pay attention to something other than Roxas' body between his legs, and piped up before the line went dead. "Yo Cloud, you should give Zack a call. He misses you, ya know. I can give you his number if you need it. He hasn't change it though."

"I don't need it, but thanks, Axel. I'll talk to you later, Rox." With that the line went silent and Roxas and Axel were left alone again with each other.

Roxas' mind was still on his brother. "Does Zack really miss him, or did you just say that to make Cloud feel bad?"

Axel smirked, pulling Roxas' shirt back down to cover him and stood up. "A bit of column A and a bit of column B."

Roxas looked up at Axel. The man was still taller than him but instead of looking at his chest all the time Roxas was now comfortably able to rest his head on Axel's shoulders, and that's just what he did, nuzzling into that slim neck. He inhaled Axel's clean scent. He still smelled somewhat spicy, but perhaps it was a bit more of a matured and aged spice. Roxas thought he still liked it though.

"You're a lot shorter than what I remember," teased Roxas and he felt arms wrap around him in response.

"You're just a lot taller. That Wutai sun must have done you some good." Axel kissed Roxas' forehead as Roxas lifted his head to speak. Axel captured his lips for another kiss, taking the opportunity to dive deep.

Roxas pulled himself out of the kiss reluctantly, nipping at Axel's bottom lip before being content to let him go. "How do you know I was in Wutai?"

Lips curled and eyes shone. "I'd recognize a Wutai accent anywhere. That girls's one was thick. And even you've got a slight twang now. It's cute." Axel planted another kiss on his long lost love as Roxas' eyes went wide in surprise at Axel's observation.

"That girl - what's with her? She your girlfriend?" Axel cocked an eyebrow, intensely interested after he finished kissing Roxas.

Roxas smirked. "No, she's not. But it turns out I'm not completely gay."

"Mmm, I'll fix that for you, Roxy." Axel pulled Roxas even closer so Roxas could feel Axel's firm erection against his own, and pushed lips and tongue against Roxas' mouth. Axel's hot tongue forced it's way past smiling lips and massaged Roxas' mouth until Roxas couldn't hold the moan of pleasure back.

Seemingly satisfied with himself Axel's arms left Roxas' body but a warm hand pressed and clasped against his hand instead. Axel also grabbed his discarded popsicle stick, which lay on the clock tower wall in a puddle of blue liquid.

Axel lead them around the corner to where the popsicle graveyard was. He dropped Roxas' hand and then surveyed the area, as if deciding where to plant the latest stick.

"This is yours?" Roxas didn't need an answer but he wanted an explanation.

"Yeah. I didn't have much else to do with my time. So I made you a modern art sculpture. I call it 'Counting Down the Days'. It's art because until today I didn't really know how many days I would have to count. Turns out a-thousand-and-eighty-three is the answer." Axel flashed him a grin before walking a short distance and kneeling down to busy himself with jamming the stick into the ground and tying some foil around it, which he seemed to carry in his pocket.

"You didn't have to - You shouldn't have -." Roxas' brow furrowed deeply as he tried to understand. "Why did you come up here for three years?" The pain and guilt he felt was evident on his face.

Axel stood back up and dusted himself off, surveying his now completed masterpiece before turning towards Roxas. "I've been searching for you for eleven long years. Never knowing who you even were. Waiting for three more, after having finally met you? Waiting and knowing you would be coming back? That was easy. Besides - I really didn't have anything else to do with my time." Another grin was put forth.

Roxas still felt the pang of guilt and remorse in his heart. He couldn't shake the frown on his face and the distinct sensation of tears building at the back of his eyes. Roxas, with his head down, quickly walked over to Axel and embraced him tightly, forcing the breath out of the other man's chest.

"Ease up there, Roxy," wheezed Axel. "You've gotten really strong."

Roxas squeezed a little less tightly and Axel tilted that blonde mop up so he could kiss his silent tears away.

"Forget the past, Roxy. I wanted you to live a full and happy life. I didn't want you to be miserable, worrying about others. I still don't want you to. So tell me - did you keep your promise?"

Roxas let go of Axel and took a slight step back so he didn't have to crane his neck awkwardly. "Yeah, I had an amazing time. I -." Even forgot about you. Roxas felt so guilty. He looked down at the mess on the ground. Axel hadn't forgotten a single day. How could Roxas live with himself knowing that? What could Roxas ever possibly do to make it up to him? "I hope I did things to make you proud of me," he muttered.

Axel pulled Roxas to his chest and breathed him in deeply, causing a laugh to stir out of his chest. "You reek, you know that? I would be proud of you having a shower right about now."

Roxas feigned a look of upset. "You try travelling across half the country, sleeping rough, trying to make a deadline and see how rosey you smell afterwards."

"Come with me, Roxy. Let me take you home so I can wash you." Axel grabbed Roxas by the hand and began walking towards the stairs. "Plus I have a bet to win," said Axel more to himself than his companion.

"Bet?"

"Yeah, we wagered on who would end up having sex with their favorite blonde first." Axel, not being shy or embarrassed about anything he ever did just winked at Roxas, but Roxas stopped abruptly, pulling his hand out of Axel's.

"You and Zack?" asked Roxas in disbelief.

"Yeah, who else?" Axel turned to face him.

"That's not really fair. I was always going to come back to you. But Cloud - it's not a fair thing to bet on. What did you guys even wager?"

"Well if he won he would never have to see my face ever again. And if I won he'd have to see my face a lot more."

"That seems stupid."

"Believe it or not but 'stupid' is something we both needed." Axel's voice came out a little labored and strained. The ease and composure he had held himself with all morning seemed to slip for a brief moment, but he dipped back into it seamlessly.

"I knew this day would come when you and I were together again, but Zack -" Axel's eyes narrowed and he turned his head to the side, glancing out over the city far below. "Well you know your brother best, right?"

Roxas felt sorry for Zack. "I can't let you win that bet. This needs to be a fair competition."

The smirk on Axel's face returned. "You want to make a bet with me too then, Roxy? I don't think you'll be able to resist me. Especially not when I turn on my charm." Axel moved in towards Roxas, placing a warm hand on his cheek and another on Roxas' hip.

"Oh please, what charm?" Not wanting to betray himself Roxas tried to still his heart and will the heat to stop rising to his cheeks, where Axel was stroking him softly.

Roxas' fidgeting elicited a laugh out of the back of Axel's throat. "I bet that you'll come before I ever do," breathed Axel into Roxas' ear.

The heat next to his ear and the words sent tingles down Roxas' spine.

"And that includes ejaculating if you masturbate by yourself - in a closet somewhere - because I'm driving you crazy with lust."

Roxas breathed deeply, desperate to keep his arousal in check. "So we can fool around, just not come?" Roxas watched as Axel nodded with an intensifying smirk.

"As long as you hold out I won't claim my victory over Zack. But - when you eventually lose -," Roxas scoffed at that but Axel continued, smirk turning into a grin, "I said when you eventually lose I'll be able to lord it over you for the rest of your life. Deal?"

"No deal," refused Roxas.

Axel huffed. "What do you propose then?"

"If I lose you drop your stupid bet with Zack, regardless. You can still lord it over me for the rest of my life, but you leave Zack alone."

Roxas watched as Axel's eyes narrowed, thinking about it. "I'm not really gaining anything here."

"If you don't agree to these terms you will never win. Don't underestimate how stubborn I can be. If I win I'll lord it over you for the rest of your life, and trust me, that's a pretty great incentive. Coupled with protecting Zack, makes for some pretty stubborn Roxas."

Roxas looked at Axel with a dangerous smirk, which seemed to light something in Axel.

"I dunno, Roxy. The thought of breaking you when so much is at stake is pretty tempting." Axel dipped his head down to nip at Roxas' bottom lip, and licked his own lips once he pulled away. "But alright. I'll drop the Zack thing out of the graciousness of my own heart. It will just be a battle of our wills. You, against me. That sounds pretty fun in its own right. We have a deal."

Roxas reached up in delight, pulling Axel's head down, and ravaged his mouth.