"Axel?" Roxas said, looking over at the redhead by his side. They were lying together in a meadow not far from Axel's house, just looking at the clouds and enjoying the warm summer breeze. Effie and Reno were tending the garden which was doing better than ever with three blood witches to look after it.

It had been a week and things had changed a bit. Reno and Effie and cleaned out and fixed up the old stable for their horses and pitched into all the chores with a will. Effie in particular had a mania for neatness and was keeping things even cleaner than Axel had, and Axel had been no slob. They both felt that Axel was doing them a huge favor and showed their appreciation by helping out everyway they could. That gave them more free time to just spend together, and Roxas felt his feelings growing even stronger. He couldn't turn away from them. He felt like his life would be empty without Axel in it.

"Hm?" Axel opened his eyes, glancing over with a smile. Roxas felt his heart skip a beat at that smile. Axel was so… so warm, so wonderful to be around. Without thinking, Roxas smiled back. He couldn't know that Axel was thinking much the same thing about him. Deciding to go with the show part of show and tell, he quickly pressed his lips against Axel's. Axel immediately responded, sliding a hand into Roxas' golden hair and deepening the kiss. They had both wanted this for so long, it only felt right. But Roxas pulled away, breathing heavily as Axel's hands slid over him.

"Axel, no." He muttered, shaking his head and making the blood witch stare at him in surprise. "It's… I don't just want a summer romance." He looked into Axel's green eyes, hoping the redhead would understand, and tangled his hands in Axel's shirt. "I want… you. All of you. I want to be with you forever." Axel stared at him, shocked by the suggestion.

"Roxas, that's… that's not possible." Axel said huskily, running his hand through blonde spikes. He would have liked nothing better than being with Roxas forever, but that just couldn't be. "I like you a lot but you're a noble and I'm a blood witch, and we just can't." Axel couldn't see any way that could work. Roxas took a deep breath.

"Not if we stay here. Not if everyone thinks I've just run off with. We have to leave everything behind. We have to make a new life for ourselves." Tears bit at his eyes, but Roxas continued doggedly as Axel listened, stunned. "I love my family but I l-love you so much. I don't want to live without you." Roxas felt that so intensely. He loved Cloud and Aeris but they had always been a bit removed from him. Namine had been closer, but she was very involved with her art now and planning to go to a college for that. He would miss them, but Axel had become everything to him. "I want to follow this feeling… but do you?" Axel drew in a deep breath, then let it out in a strange, almost hysterical laugh.

"Roxas… after you left for university I was going to finally sell the house and move away, because I thought it would be empty without you." Warm hands cupped Roxas' face, and he stared into intense green eyes. "I would love to leave with you. But are you sure? Are you sure you want to do this? It might be hard." They would have the money from Axel's sale of the house and whatever Roxas could take, but they might have hard times. Roxas nodded resolutely.

"I really want to." He knew it was probably insane and cruel to his family, but Roxas wanted to make a life for himself with Axel, whatever it took. Warm lips hit his and Roxas melted against Axel, letting the redhead hold him this time. It felt so good, being held by the man he desired more than anything in the world. Axel licked his ear, making him shiver, then spoke.

"Well. If we're going to run away like a pair of love struck idiots, we should at least be lovers first." Roxas couldn't help but laugh at that, and Axel smiled, unbuttoning his shirt.

"Axel, I'm not a virgin but I've never been with a man." Roxas confessed, feeling more than a bit nervous as warm hands slid over his skin. He knew how this was supposed to go, theoretically, thanks to his tutors but he was still very worried about it. Axel kissed his throat and Roxas sighed, letting his head fall back a bit so Axel could attack the soft, sensitive skin.

"I thought as much." Axel said with a contented hum, and Roxas smiled, reaching up and pulling away Axel's headband. Freed, his hair slid over his eyes for a moment before Axel pushed it back. "Hey!"

"You look better without it." Roxas said softly, kissing the redhead again. He was hardly aware of it happening but somehow their clothing ended up in a messy tangle beside them. Axel's hands felt like they were everywhere, and he had a small bottle of lotion that he squeezed onto his fingers. "You've been anticipating this." That was almost sweet. Axel grinned, running his slicked fingers over Roxas' erection and making the smaller boy moan.

"Of course. And it also does double duty as lip balm." Roxas blinked at that, then laughed.

"You're so disgustingly practical." Roxas whispered in Axel's ear and was rewarded with a smile and a wonderful squeeze. "Oh… are you going to take me?" That thought made him nervous but Roxas thought he was ready. But Axel shook his head.

"Actually, I want something a bit different." His eyes were dark with lust as he looked over Roxas, then pushed him onto his back. The blonde went willingly, a bit confused, then swallowed as Axel reached behind himself. "I want to ride you." Roxas felt a jolt of desire at the thought. Roxas watched for a moment as Axel opened himself, then took a deep breath.

"Give me some of that lube." He wanted to help, wanted to be part of this. Axel smiled and gave him the bottle. Roxas coated his fingers with it quickly then reached behind Axel to open him. He wasn't quite sure what he was doing and it was a little awkward, but his efforts were soon rewarded with a gasp.

"Right there! That spot." Axel groaned throatily as Roxas applied a bit more pressure. It had been a long time since someone had done this to him and he savored the feeling. Axel stroked Roxas' already dripping length, sliding up a bit and positioning himself. Roxas swallowed, pulling his hand away and gripping Axel's hips as the redhead slowly slid down onto him. He had to restrain himself from thrusting up into that heat right away, and Axel paused for a moment, some pain but mostly pleasure on his face. Then he began to move…

"Axel!" Roxas moaned, writhing underneath the redhead as Axel rode him with practiced skill. Axel was setting the pace, making it hard and fast but Roxas wanted to help him, wanted to make it good for him. He reached down and stroked the redhead in time with the motions, making Axel groan and lean down for a moment, nuzzling his throat and licking the sweat slick skin.

"God, Roxas." Axel said huskily in his ear, and Roxas had to fight not to climax right then. It was just so sexy. "You're so amazing." Then Axel leaned back, deepening the penetration and moving even faster. Roxas panted, struggling to keep up and to stay sane under the onslaught of pleasure. It was all so good, so intense, so amazing…

"Axel!" Roxas speeded up his strokes, making Axel cry out in pleasure as he finally let go in a rush. The way Axel's body tightened and quivered around his was too much, and Roxas followed a moment later, arching up as he saw sparks behind his eyes. Relaxing under Axel, Roxas finally noticed something. He'd been aware of it for a while but it just hadn't seemed important. "Um, Axel?" He said sleepily as Axel nuzzled his throat. "We might have a problem."

"What's that – OH FUCK!" Axel lurched forward and off him as a wad of something wet and sticky hit him in the middle of the back, making Roxas groan in protest. "Fucking horse!" Reno's and Effie's horse had been let out of the stables to graze, since the wards would keep it on the property as well as repelling other animals. And the mare had decided to investigate what the humans in the area were doing. She had just drooled on Axel. "Stupid beast! Get away!" The mare gave him a vaguely hurt look and ambled away to eat grass elsewhere. Roxas couldn't help but laugh.

"That's what you get for feeding her carrots." He said, amused, as Axel cursed and tried to scrap off the spit. "Here." Roxas found his handkerchief and used it to help Axel. Axel let him, then laughed.

"Well, that wasn't as romantic as I pictured." It was oddly right, though. He put his arms around Roxas, smiling into the boys face. "I love you Roxy." He really felt it in a way he hadn't with Sora. His time with Sora had just been fun, and he was sure Sora had felt the same way… the brunette had never offered to give up anything for him. They lay together for a long moment in the meadow before Axel thought of something. "Mmm, Roxas, I'm amazed you thought of all this." It seemed like Roxas had put a lot of thought into how they could have a future together. Axel found it rather impressive.

"The mirror helped me." Roxas said sleepily, eyes closed as he enjoyed being nestled against Axel's chest, so he missed the redhead's sudden stillness. "Did you know there's a magic mirror in the house?"

"Uh… yes. Roxas, you activated the mirror?" Roxas opened his eyes, looking up into Axel's concerned ones. "That mirror is only meant to be used by blood witches. How did you manage that?" Roxas blinked, surprised.

"I touched it and it pricked me, then it started talking to me. Axel?" There was a dazed look on Axel's face and he was staring at the blonde like he'd never seen him before. It was making Roxas a touch nervous.

"Cloud would be so pissed…" Axel mused to himself, then laughed as Roxas frowned at him. "Roxy, you're perfect, you know?" Axel nuzzled him lovingly making him blink in confusion. "That means you have the talent for blood magic."

"I do?!?" Roxas stared as Axel nodded. His lover was smiling and clearly very happy, but Roxas wasn't at all sure what to think. "But… but I don't have red hair." From what Axel had said, all blood witches had red hair. Axel laughed lightly.

"I didn't either when I was just a kid… it was brown. It's using the talent that turns our hair red." Axel ruffled Roxas' curls, smiling. "If I teach you to use your talent, you'll turn strawberry blonde." Axel thought that would be a bit of a shame… Roxas' blonde hair was lovely… but it would still be cute. Roxas stared at Axel for a moment, then felt a strange sort of peace. This was a sign that he was on the right path.

"Will you teach me?" He asked softly and Axel kissed him again, warm lips against his.

"I'd love to." Axel murmured and then they both froze as a loud voice suddenly rang out behind them.

"Axel, where ARE you? We need more eggs and – oh." Effie stopped, staring, then raised her hands pacifically. "I see this is a bad time. But if you could take the wards off the money box we'd be very grateful!" Then she beat a hasty retreat. Axel sighed, reaching for his clothes.

"I think that broke the romance." Although he thought they'd been out here long enough, really. It was about time to start getting supper ready. Roxas sighed but pulled himself up, getting his clothes back on. "I should have rekeyed the money box earlier." Reno and Effie were both nearly broke. Neither one of them was at all good at saving and their headlong flight out of the city had eaten up what little money they had. Axel wasn't sure what they would have done if he'd turned them away and he preferred not to think about it. Resorted to thievery was his best guess. Effie and Reno were not overburdened by morals.

"You're sure I'm a blood witch?" Roxas asked Axel, still unsure if he should believe it. It seemed so incredible. Axel grinned and cupped his cheek for a moment, giving him a gentle kiss.

"Yeah, I'm sure. You have the blood on your dad's and your mom's sides, you know. There's no reason why you shouldn't be a blood witch." Roxas smiled, and Axel was dazzled by how radiantly happy he looked. It made him remember another boy a long time ago, and he felt bad for Cloud all over again. "Don't tell Cloud, Roxas, whatever you do. It would be really hard on him." Cloud was a fair man but it would have to color his feelings about Roxas. There was no way to avoid it, and Axel didn't want their relationship to be strained before Roxas left. Roxas winced and nodded.

"Thanks Axel." Roxas hugged Axel for a moment then pulled away with a sigh. "I better get going home." They would have to discuss how to pull of his vanishing act later. If he was away much longer, his parents might start to look for him. Axel nodded and they walked back to the house where Roxas' horse was waiting, munching on some hay. Roxas mounted up and left, giving Axel a parting wave. Axel waved back, smiling.

Later that night, over fried eggs and fresh salad, Axel explained the situation to a fascinated Reno and Effie.

"He has the talent? Do you know how much?" That was very interesting to Reno. The amount of talent needed to activate the mirror wasn't really that much. Roxas was certainly a blood witch and could probably wear the blood rosette, but he might be no stronger than Reno. Axel shook his head.

"No idea yet. I'll have to work with him to get a feel for it." The lack of any red in Roxas' hair wasn't a promising sign, but it didn't necessarily mean anything. If children weren't taught they sometimes didn't manifest the blood magic at all despite having a powerful gift. "Do you guys mind leaving though?" Axel was concerned about that. If he sold the house all four of them would have to go together. Reno laughed and Effie grinned.

"Are you mad Axel? We were worried someone would sniff out our connection to you and find us here." Reno's expression turned serious as he spoke. "A moving target is much harder to hit, and the farther we go away the better. If we'd had money for it, we'd have kept going." Axel winced and nodded.

"Maybe we could even think about leaving the country." Axel wasn't too keen on that though. The prejudice against blood witches could be just as bad in other lands, or even worse, from what they'd heard at the meets. And the wandering blood-kin saw and heard a lot so Axel was pretty sure it wasn't just stories. From the look on Reno's and Effie's faces, they were thinking the same thing.

"We'll burn that bridge when we come to it. But how were you thinking of faking the young Lord's death?" Reno sounded a bit ambivalent about that part of the plan and Axel knew why. Reno liked Roxas well enough but was worried that Cloud and Aeris might figure things out and come after them. As well, he had very little liking for nobles at the moment.

"I was thinking we could use a golem." Reno quirked his eyebrows and Axel grimaced. "I know. It would have to be a strong one to stand up long enough, but if we all pitch in together we could probably make one." It would also be rather grotesque and Roxas wouldn't like it, but it could be done. To make a flesh golem, they would either have to raid the cemetery or fashion animal flesh into what they needed. Axel favored the second, but that would require even more power than the first. "Between the three of us, four if Roxas gets enough control, we should be able to do it."

"I suppose, but Roxas won't like that ritual a bit." Effie observed and Axel sighed. It was extremely grotesque to watch and incredibly draining to participate in. Axel had only helped make a golem once before and that hadn't been a flesh one. It had been made out of stone and designed to be a permanent guardian. It had taken an entire circle of blood witches to make it, and Effie and Reno had both been there. They all knew how the ritual would go.

"Well, I'll teach him first. We have a couple months to put this into action." Axel said. Effie and Reno exchanged a brief glance.

"The sooner the better Axel." Reno advised him, blue eyes troubled. "The sooner the better." He and Effie wanted to get as far away from the capital and the Shinra family as they could.

Far, far away.