Hello again. :bangs head on desk: I finally got time to write this since my Marching Band practice was cancelled, then it took forever thinking of where I wanted to go with this. :dies:
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The week didn't get much better from there on. At least, not for Axel. He noticed jealously that Riku had begun making friends the third day of being there, people drawn to his charm and friendliness. Axel just sat there and kept to himself or Namine, since she seemed to notice what was going on. She wanted him to talk to Riku about it, but the red head refused. It wasn't Riku's fault that people liked him.
Seifer was another problem. He began talking about them whenever people were around, mostly how they could afford such a school since they were "obviously" poor. It was at lunch that Axel almost snapped and Namine had to come in and firmly kick Seifer in the balls before they left.
Axel didn't have any motivation to do anything. He didn't sleep at night, he didn't pay attention in class, and when he did decide to do something, it was drawing in his old sketchbook. He had taken to drawing Roxas, to make sure he'd never forget what his face looked like. It was a huge fear of his, one that he knew was stupid, but he couldn't help. Roxas and Namine seemed to be the only thing keeping him sane anymore.
It wasn't until the Thursday of their second week that finally snapped though.
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"Hey, it's my favorite red head Queer!"
Axel snarled but kept walking with Namine. He wasn't feeling that hungry, and Namine didn't eat lunch at all anyway. She tried to write things to make him feel better, but they both sensed how gloomy it was; Riku was with a large group of friends, ones that were completely and utterly normal.
Seifer followed them, sneering as he matched their pace leaving the cafeteria and into the main hall. "Aw, what's wrong? Missing your boyfriend?"
"He's my brother." Axel snipped, crossing his long arms.
The blond snorted. "Like that'll bother you. Fags are all over anyone they can."
Namine clutched her notebook and scowled, but as usual, remained silent. Axel slipped one of his hands into hers and squeezed reassuringly. While he didn't care what Riku did, the younger blond did; she felt betrayed.
"You know, I heard a rumor last semester." Seifer went on, ignoring their silence. "Something about you, Red. Wanna hear?"
Axel growled, pulling Namine along as they went to leave him. "Not interested."
"Even if it was about Roxas?"
Axel froze. Namine stopped beside him, looking at him in concern, but he turned to Seifer. He knew better than to trust him, of course, but he wanted to hear it. Maybe he was a masochist or something as well, but he needed to hear anything about Roxas. 'To keep him from disappearing,'
Seifer smirked, seeing he had their attention. "Hayner was one of his best friends, right? Well, I hear him going on to Pence about how little Roxas got himself into some trouble with the school and how he had to help out at an Asylum. Interesting little rumor, huh?" Axel glowered at him. "But then, your name's mentioned, Red. D.I.D., pretty severe isn't it? They almost kept you there permanently. But then you started sleeping with nurses and even a psychologist, so you had to be let out at some point, right?" He laughed. "Too bad Roxas left you cuz you're a little slut."
Axel didn't even realize it had happened. He just snapped. Seifer wasn't allowed to talk about Roxas like that, like he knew him, and then he had to go and remind him about Vexen. But the thought that hit him the hardest was no matter how stupid, illogical or impossible it seemed, Seifer had Vexen's laugh. The very same laugh. The same as he did those thing...
Axel lost control. "Shut the fuck up about Roxas!"
Namine backed up, eyes wide, as Axel lunged at Seifer, punching him in the face and once the blond was on the floor, wrapping his hand around his throat as he reeled the other back. Aku's dark green eyes flashed and he smirked before punching him as hard as he could. He couldn't stop, he wanted to make Seifer bleed. Wanted to hurt him. Same laugh.
Namine gaped and ran into the cafeteria. She forgot how mad she was at Riku, just ran up to him and silently grabbed his arm. Other stared at her, some mocked her, she even saw the silver haired teen smile with them, but he stopped when he saw her crying. She cursed her fears, unable to make a sound. She could only point into the hall and mouth 'Axel'.
Riku knew what she was saying and flew out of his seat and ran into the hall. He saw Seifer was on his feet, but Axel was on his back and with one hand on his hair, the other was at his neck. The blond was gasping, unable to breathe.
"Axel, stop!" Riku yelled, running at them and grabbing Axel under his arms, trying to pull him off. "Please Axel, not again. Don't go back."
"Get off me, Riku!" Aku snarled, not releasing him. "It's his fault. I want him dead."
"Dammit Axel, you promised Roxas." Riku snapped, finally able to pull him off. "You promised him you wouldn't go back."
Axel panted, collapsing to the ground and leaning against his brother's legs. "I...promised."
Seifer wheezed and coughed, attempting to get air back into his lungs as he gently massaged his throat. "I was...right." He glared over at the red head. "You are a freak."
Axel whimpered, knees drawn up and hiding his face in them. What had he almost done? He had almost broken his promise to Roxas, and for what? Let Seifer say what he wanted, he wasn't there. He had gone through what Axel had, with Rufus or Vexen. Maybe if he had, then he'd be a bit more nicer to people. Especially to those like Namine or Riku.
Riku frowned, turning to Namine. "I'll...go call Zexion. Will you stay with him?"
Namine nodded, sitting next to Axel on the floor and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He needed someone to talk to right now, and with Roxas gone, Zexion was the only other choice they had. She bit her lip, feeling useless. If she wasn't such a coward, she could've said those things that Riku had and made it end.
"I'm sorry, Namine." Axel whispered, voice emotionless. "I must have scared you."
She shook her head, clutching his sleeve. Axel was her best friend, nothing he did could scare her. She just had to watch over him better, until Roxas came home.
Seifer had picked himself up, but by the time, Leon was running over with Riku. The brown haired man quickly grabbed Axel by the shoulders and said firmly, "Axel, what happened?"
Axel shook his head. "I-I didn't mean for it, Leon, I just...lost it."
"It's okay, Axel." Leon whispered, his voice softening. "Really, I understand. Zexion said you were under a lot of pressure." Riku looked surprised. "Just tell me what happened, okay?"
"He..." Axel looked up at him, eyes reddening. "He brought him up, and they...they sounded exactly the same, Leon. I swear they did."
Leon wondered which 'him' Axel meant but Namine pulled out a sharpie from her back pocket of the skirt and wrote down on the floor, Vexen. The brunette stiffened, eyes narrowing. He glared over at Seifer but got distracted by what else Namine was writing. Seifer knew about the asylum, and he said that Axel got out of sleeping with Vexen. And that's why Roxas is gone. Axel lost it.
"It's okay now, Axel." Leon said. "Zexion's here, and you can go home, okay? Don't come back until you're sure you can handle it. I'll talk to your other teachers."
Axel didn't fight, letting Riku guide him outside the main entrance and into Zexion's car. The silver haired teen didn't come with them, instead wanting to stay with Namine and his other friends. Axel quickly swallowed the bitterness. Riku wouldn't be going back to Namine.
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'Dear Axel,
'I'm sorry about Seifer. I know he can be a complete ass, he was when I was at school with him. And I know that school sucks. Especially since everyone won't understand why you had never been to a school before or...your condition. But don't think about them, okay? Think of who matters to you. If they're your real friends, they won't care that sometimes you get angry or sad or too cheerful.
'And Axel? I don't think you could be a bad person if you tried. Really. I understand your frustrations, really. I want to get back too. It also doesn't help that Zack is a cheap ass and won't let me call you since it would cost extra. What a baby.
'I'll see you soon, okay? I promise. I love you, and don't let them get to you. I prefer you the way you are.
'Love,
'Roxas'
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Reviews make me smile!...And I usually update faster that way. XP Sometimes.
R&R
