"Almighty?" Satan and the Eternal were together again, idly watching the material plane. Axel and Roxas were at an ice cream parlor, sharing a milkshake. It was really quite adorable and there was no mistaking the attraction at work. "Why did you give him that old definition of gay?"

"No reason." The Adversary accepted that easily although the lesser angels would have had a difficult time. The greater angels had to work in the material plane so they were more accustomed to chaos. What humans did not understand about the Almighty was that while he saw everything, he did not directly control it. That was what facilitated free will and meant that events could surprise even the Eternal.

"Well, I just hope he knows about sex or I'm going to have an odd conversation with him after a wet dream." Satan commented and The Almighty chuckled.

"I'm sure you could handle that. But he knows all the basics of his anatomy." Although some types of sex would confuse the little angel. He was still quite innocent of the world.

They would just have to see how it went.


Taking the tests was an experience for Roxas. Knowing that the Almighty had given him a great deal information was different from being forced to search the depths of it. But it turned out he'd been given rather a lot. He was good at math, writing and knew all the basics of science. He was terrible at politics, social studies and history. It was like he had all the hard skills but few of the soft.

Nevertheless, the tests showed that he was at a high school graduate level. With that information in hand Axel and Roxas worked at creating documents for him. It wasn't easy but the police and social services were helpful. They had to fill out all kinds of forms and even get signed statements from the police to prove that Roxas existed and was, most likely, not an illegal alien.

"Man, a lot of paperwork. Can't blame them though. This situation might have happened once or twice before but it couldn't be more than that." Axel commented as he filled out another form, this one to get Roxas a SIN. He'd need all of that before he could get a job. Roxas nodded, unsurprised. Everyone still thought he had amnesia and had somehow fallen off a balcony onto Axel's, although they hadn't been able to find anyone missing a blonde. The police had checked all the families above him but no one had seen a thing. Eventually he'd get his SIN, birth certificate and other documents but right now it was quite a hassle.

Roxas served a simple but delicious bread and onion soup for lunch. He smiled as he poured it into mugs and garnished it with a tiny bit of cream and a sprinkle of chives. Axel stared into his mug, taken aback.

"Roxas, how did you get the cream in the shape of a heart?" He asked and Roxas blinked, pushing himself up to peer into Axel's mug.

"I didn't mean to." He said, amazed. It was very cute though. Axel laughed and sipped the soup, savoring the taste of it.

"I heart you too." He said teasingly and Roxas blushed as he tried his own soup, then sighed. It tasted wonderful. The little angel just couldn't get over how intense sensations were here. No wonder the souls didn't want to stay in Heaven, not forever anyway. Roxas suddenly wondered how he would be able to bear going back, but firmly pushed the thought away. The Adversary and the other great angels came to the material plane all the time! It couldn't be that difficult to go back and forth. "Hey, is there any fudge left from last night?" To Axel's amazement Roxas had made a pan of fudge. It had vanished in the only proper way. Roxas shook his head.

"No, but there's cookies." He offered and Axel grinned, going to get a few. The chewy oatmeal and date cookies were homemade too. The only thing Roxas regretted about getting a job was that he wouldn't have time to make such elaborate meals. But he still planned to make them both supper every night. "You're not working tomorrow, right?" Roxas was a bit vague on time but he thought Axel has Sunday and Monday off. Axel nodded with a smile.

"Yes, and tomorrow's church." Roxas smiled as he nibbled on his cookie. Axel had gotten him a very nice wool vest and a light grey turtleneck shirt to wear to church. He said the church was always a little cold so the clothes should be both comfortable and stylish.

They spent a very quiet night together just watching TV and cuddling a bit on the couch. Axel seemed more relaxed than before and Roxas wondered why. He didn't realize that it was due to the age on his forms. Based on the tests and practical considerations, Roxas was going to be listed as eighteen.

"Roxy? I was wondering… on Monday, would you like to go to a movie?" Axel asked, reflecting that it was all a bit odd, trying to date someone you were already living with. That interested Roxas and he looked up at Axel with big blue eyes and a happy smile.

"What kind of movie?" Roxas asked and Axel thought for a moment. Roxas was so gentle but he was still a boy. Would he like something with action?

"Want to see Avatar? It's in 3-D. The plot is a little thin but a lot of special effects." Axel hesitated. "There's a lot of violence though." Roxas frowned a bit at that but nodded.

"If you want to." He said bravely. At first a lot of the TV programs had scared him but he'd come to understand that most of what was on there was fantasy. There was nothing sinful about that. Was there? Roxas made a mental note to ask Satan the next time he saw the angel, but he was sure there wasn't. All the humans he'd met seemed to enjoy it. Axel smiled and ruffled his hair, making Roxas laugh and lean into the caress. He was getting used to the redhead doing that. Suddenly he thought of something and smiled sweetly, reaching up to run a hand through bright red spikes.

"Hey!" Axel said, startled, then saw Roxas' brilliant smile. "Oh, you." He laughed and kissed the blonde on the cheek. He wanted to do more but manfully suppressed the desire. Axel felt that he just hadn't known Roxas long enough, although he definitely planned to date him.

They were both oblivious to the snake idly watching them from the fruit bowl on the kitchen table.


Church was a fascinating experience for Roxas. The minister's sermon was about the virtue of generosity and how it was good to give to people in need. The little angel could only agree with that. It seemed a little obvious, but maybe people needed reminding.

What Roxas loved, though, was the songs. The choir wasn't particularly good but everyone could join in and Roxas closed his eyes as he sang. He was unaware of the surprised looks many people were giving him.

"Roxas, your voice is beautiful." Axel said reverently when church was over and everyone was leaving. Roxas blinked, surprised. "You should join the choir."

"I should?" Roxas suddenly realized that this must be how his gift worked with humans. As an angel he'd been able to create soothing harmonics that made all the other angels happy. "Oh! Maybe I should. Do they practice often?" He didn't want to be away from Axel very much.

"Every Wednesday for two hours. I used to be in the choir myself before my schedule got so erratic." Since he worked in the call centre Axel worked a wide variety of shifts, although fortunately not the night shift. "Hmm, you should find out what kind of work schedule you'll have first." There would be no point if Roxas was on an odd shift. The blonde nodded, taking Axel's arm and making the redhead smile. "But you have an absolutely lovely voice. It's so… peaceful." That was an odd way to describe someone's singing voice but it was the only appropriate thing to say about Roxas'. The little angel smiled happily.

"Thank you." He said. His gift had always meant a lot to him and Roxas was happy the humans could enjoy it too. When they got home Axel decided to take a nap – he'd been on a late shift the previous day – and Roxas got online. He wasn't really used to the internet yet but he was getting there and –

"Hey kid, type in snake porn. I'm in a mood here."

"Ah!" Roxas started violently at the rough voice and the scales suddenly coiling around his shoulders. "Satan!" Roxas blushed and glanced at the door to Axel's room, hoping he hadn't woken his friend up. That would be very inconsiderate.

"That's me. So how's it going kid? Cutting through the red tape, getting the ducks in order?" Roxas sighed to himself as the snake peered curiously at the screen. He was beginning to wish the Adversary came with a translator. He was addicted to strange expressions and Roxas just didn't understand. "Online ads? Nifty. You're smarter than I thought, kid. So what kind of a job you looking to get?"

"I was thinking of this one…" Roxas pointed to one particular ad. It was for baristas at the local Starbucks. "They say general openings but I know the Starbucks me and Axel go to is short staffed. So if I could just work there I'd be on the same bus as Axel and it's close to where he works." That would be absolutely ideal. They'd be on different schedules but he'd probably get to see Axel when he came by for coffee. Satan tilted his head to one side, his tongue flicking thoughtfully.

"Interesting. A good idea, but did Axel suggest getting a job where he works?" Satan asked. Roxas winced, looking down.

"He did but… he said the customers there can be really mean sometimes when they call in. And he's not sure they would want me since I don't really have a degree." Starbucks wasn't likely to care about that and Roxas was a hard worker. He was sure he could do well there. The Prosecutor nodded slightly.

"Good point kid. I doubt anyone could be mean to your face, but over the phone where they can't see your baby blues they might." Roxas blinked at that. Baby blues? But Satan was still talking. "Any luck on the tempting?"

"No." Roxas was very discouraged by that. He was failing the Almighty and his greatest angel! "Satan, what should I do? Please help me!" He desperately needed help. Satan thought about it a long moment.

"Well, it's a bit tough kid. You don't have the kind of powers I do and you're not much of an actor. So… I'd advise you to keep this in mind." The snake suddenly laughed and whispered in his ear. "Sometimes, the truth is what hurts the most." Roxas blinked as the snake suddenly vanished.

"What does that mean…?" He asked the empty air plaintively. He just didn't understand. How could the truth be hurtful? Wasn't the truth always a good thing? The material plane and all the things in it were wonderful and beautiful but so confusing. Roxas shook his head and went back to his search through the ads.

But he would remember Satan's words.


Roxas sang softly to himself as he swept the floor of Starbucks #294.

He'd been working there a week and was already getting the hang of things. As the brand new barista, though, he was never left alone. Right now two other baristas were working and things were slow so he was cleaning. Roxas could always find something that could do with a bit of cleaning if he tried. Finishing with the sweeping he began refilling all the condiment trays, then checked the garbage. It wasn't anywhere near full so he left it.

"Mary? Would you like me to clean the bathrooms?" Roxas asked the shift lead, a short girl with gingery hair and plenty of freckles. She smiled at him and nodded.

"Sure thing Roxas." She said amiably and he grabbed the cleaning implements before going to check out the men's washroom. It wasn't a terrible mess but soon he was hard at work cleaning the mirrors and getting the toilets spotless. Roxas sang a hymn he'd heard at the church as he worked.

"Hey there." He squeaked and almost dropped the toilet brush as he heard the voice behind him. Turning around he saw a much older man with slate grey hair and a kind smile. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I startle you?" Roxas blinked then smiled back tentatively.

"A little. Can I help you sir?" He asked and the man smiled again before resting a hand on his arm. Roxas didn't like that much. His skin was warm yet very damp.

"Well, perhaps. My name is Rodney and I'm a talent scout. You really have an amazing voice, have you ever thought about a career in music?" Roxas' eyes widened at that. Music? He had thought about that but Axel had no idea where to begin and the internet hadn't been a lot more helpful. "Perhaps you would like to go to an audition?" Roxas was about to say yes when something moved him to glance over the man's shoulder. There was a snake coiled in the sink shaking its head emphatically from side to side.

"Oh, no, I'm afraid I couldn't." Roxas said, smooth and sweet as honey. He didn't know why Satan himself would appear to tell him this was a bad idea but he wasn't going to ignore the Almighty's greatest angel. "I like singing but I'm not planning to make it a career." Which was true. He wasn't planning on it. It would have been welcome though, so he was definitely going to ask the Adversary what was going on. Rodney looked disappointed and pulled his hand away.

"Well, if you reconsider here's my card." Roxas accepted the small piece of paper to be polite. Then Rodney left the bathroom. "Satan?" Roxas said in a low voice as he stepped up to the sink. The snake slithered over his arm and onto his shoulders.

"Not here kid. Got anywhere private?" The snake said in his ear and Roxas nodded. He hesitated a moment then walked out of the bathroom. He was sure Satan wouldn't be seen unless he wanted it.

"Mary? Can I step outside a moment? I need some fresh air." He asked and she looked at him in concern before glancing at the door. She'd seen Rodney go in after Roxas.

"Sure you can. Are you okay though?" She asked and Roxas blinked, wondering what she suspected Rodney of if anything. The little angel shook his head.

"I'm fine, it's just a little hot in here." He reassured her and she looked a touch relieved. "I'll be back in a minute." Going out the back of the bux Roxas found a good place beside the trash bins. They smelled a bit even in winter. He was sure no one would interrupt them here. "Satan? What was wrong?" He still couldn't see why going to an audition would be a bad idea. The snake snorted.

"If that man was a talent scout I'm the czarina of Tokyo!" Roxas blinked and the Prosecutor sighed, reminded that the little angel's ignorance of political systems was boundless. "And they call me a snake… kid, he was lying through his teeth the whole time he was talking to you. If you'd gone with him he'd have been up you like stuffing up a Christmas turkey."

"Satan! I don't understand you. Please stop using expressions?" He pleaded with the powerful angel. The Adversary paused a moment and reevaluated.

"Okay kid. Let me show you what I saw when I looked at him, just for a moment." Roxas' eyes misted over as Satan brought him back to that moment in the bathroom. And for just a moment he saw –

"Uck!" Roxas slapped a hand over his mouth and tried not the throw up at the vision of that man's soul. It only lasted a moment but it was more than enough. Satan nuzzled his ear comfortingly and the little angel managed to control his stomach. "Oh… how… how could anyone stand to be that way?" Roxas asked, nauseated and repelled. He didn't understand everything he'd seen but he saw now why Satan had thought he was in danger. The snake shrugged.

"I dunno kid. But like I told you before, we didn't put you here for you to die in the most retarded way imaginable." Roxas swallowed hard and nodded, grateful beyond words that the Almighty was looking out for him. "Now, for the future, if someone says they're a talent scout they're probably lying. If you think they might be telling the truth tell 'em you need to bring Axel. Then make sure you do. No going off with strangers, capische?" Roxas nodded. He remembered what capische meant. "You look like a sweet little bun and feel a bit vulnerable. No surprise perverts might dig you. So just be a l'il careful, okay?"

"Okay." Roxas said more bravely than he felt. He didn't understand how anyone could endure having a soul that was one giant flaw, but it didn't really matter. He had learned a valuable lesson today and he would remember.

The Eternal and the Prosecutor might be looking out for him, but he didn't want to have them bailing him out all the time.