I'm back! Anyone missed me? No? Okay... Moving on...

I would love to thank TheSapphireRose, khdayskh1314, foggraven, Twin Judge of Gemini, PooperScooper000, and Miwasaki Yuki rin for the wonderful reviews to this story. Especially foggraven, Twin Judge of Gemini, PooperScooper000, khdayskh1314, and Miwasaki Yuki rin for review the previous chapter.

Next, I would love to thank khdaykh1314, foggraven, Hog s Head, Twin Judge of Gemini, and PooperScooper000 for fav the story.

Moving on, I would love to thank TheSapphireRose, khdayskh1314, foggraven, Hog s Head, HeartsMockingjay, Twin Judge of Gemini, and PooperScooper000 for alerting the story.

Last but not the least, everyone who continue to read this story. Thank you everyone!

I'm sorry that this chap took me quite a long time to put up and I hope it is long enough for you all. Be warned that the Axel here might be a little OOC and there might be typos as well, I always missed them when I'm checking...

Anyway, I hope you guys would enjoy this chap.

Urge for Ice Cream

Chapter 4

Night 14 (Part 1)

It has been more than a week since Xion started to hang out with Roxas and Axel every night in front of the convenient store, eating ice cream while walking around town and sometimes even spent their time at the playground.

And tonight was one of those nights. Xion was playing on the swing as she waited the blonde and redhead to arrive with Sea Salt Ice Cream and also something called 'Chakrams' that Axel said he wanted to show her.

As she waited, she thought back to all the times the three of them had spent together. Ever since she met Roxas again at an eventful night, she was able to make contact with them and started hanging out. And about the bruise on her cheek she got that night, she was able to make up a lie about rolling off the bed and hit her cheek onto the bedside table when her parents asked her about it. Luckily, they fell for it, so her regular night walks and new nighttime friends remain as a secret.

It might be strange for a lot of people that Axel, Roxas and herself only spend their time together at night and not during the day, and perhaps there are people (who saw them) mistaken them as a bad gang or something. But Xion knew in her heart that Roxas and Axel are good people, they are the one that she has always wanted to hang out with at night.

They didn't steal, smoke, drink (except for Axel, sometimes he brought a can of beer with him, but he has better control on alcohol than that drunk she met nights ago, since never once she saw that spiky haired pyro's face got red from the alcohol), do drugs and any other things that are illegal. They are just like her, wanted a refreshing night walk. And have someone to share the same liking makes thing even better. 'The more the merrier' as Axel had said.

Xion know that she would be safe with them. And whenever she hangs out with them, the quiet personality and poker face she wore at their first meeting has disappeared long ago. She can be so expressive with them, they made her feel so free in a kind of way. She felt their presence with her really changed her like she hoped and she can't helped but been so happy about it.

"Xion~"

The ravenette stopped her swinging and turned to the voice. It was from Roxas, and behind him is a rather sad looking Axel, with two spiky wheel-like things in his hands.

Xion got off the swing and trotted over to greet them. "Hi Roxas! Hi Axel! Um…"

Roxas followed her gaze to his pyro friend, who's squatting on the ground, his back to them, drawing small, slow circle with his index finger with his head held low like a depressed kid. The two spiky wheel-like things placed beside him.

"W-What wrong with Axel tonight?" Xion asked, concerned. She swore she can see dark depress aura above his head.

Roxas let out a sigh then answered, "The store's out of Sea Salt Ice Cream. The next thing I know, he's like this."

Xion gasped at the news. "They ran out of ice cream? !" Being an ice-creamholic, she felt the sudden to cry when she knew she won't be having any of them tonight. And she's actually craving for two at the moment, knowing she will have none made her really sad.

"Ya. They said the stock will co-" When Roxas turned his head away from Axel and onto Xion, he was greeted by glassy blue eyes that looked like they are going to burst out tears any moment and a sad frown on her face. To make things short, she looks like a cute, poor puppy being kicked. Hard. 'Is she going to…. Cry?'

"A-Ah. Xion. What's wrong?" Roxas panicked and tried to calm her down by placing his hands on her shoulder, seeing her shaking, trying to hold back the tears.

"They ran out of ice cream. And I want ice cream…" Xion murmured. She knows she's acting like a little child, but she just can't help it. Ice cream for her is like a friend, and losing it is so painful for her. "Why did they run out of ice cream? They are a convenient store for god's sake, why did they run out? That's not convenient at all!"

Roxas bent down to her eye level and cooed. "They only ran out of Sea Salt Ice Cream. Not all ice creams. Shh... Now, now. Don't cry."

Xion looked at Roxas and asked, "Aren't you sad, Roxas? You love Sea Salt Ice Cream as much as the rest of us. Why aren't you sad?"

Roxas gave her a small soft smile then said, "That's because I know where else we can get them."

That stopped Xion from shaking, urging to cry and sad at a snap of a finger. "What?"

"I know where we can get them. So I'm not sad. Does that make you feel better?" Roxas asked gently, like back when he checked on her bruise. That gentle, caring, motherly type of tone. How can his voice be so… comforting…?

Xion finally able to put back a smile on her face and nodded her head.

Roxas smiled on and said, "That's a good girl."

Unexpectedly, Roxas landed a small peck on her forehead before he pulled away and gently stroke the top of her head. "I'll go make Axel stand up, so we can go get ice cream, okay?"

Xion, with a blush on her face, nodded slightly to the blonde in front of her.

Roxas smiled then walked over to Axel, who's now lying on his side, his back still facing them. "Come on, Axel. Stop been depressed and stand up so we can get Sea Salt Ice Cream. I really don't know why the heck you still acted like this after I told you that back at the store."

Those are what Xion heard Roxas said to Axel before he started (or tried) to pull Axel up. Slowly, she lifted her hand and touched her forehead slightly, right on where Roxas had kissed her. A brighter blush appeared on her face when she thought about it again.

Why did he suddenly kiss her? Is it to calm her down? Is it because she's acting like a kid so he did that? Xion suddenly remembered what Roxas told her last time, that he always need to look after his young female cousin, whenever she's sad, hurt and lonely. Perhaps that's why he did it… Maybe somehow she reminded him of his cousin, and caused him to act so caring and protective, like a big brother.

'He didn't kiss me because he wanted to… He kissed me because he thought that would calm me down… He thought that is the best method to… Because I looked and acted like a child in front of him… That's why he's acting like that… Not any other reason…' Strangely, with those thoughts in her head, Xion felt sad instead of the opposite. 'Why? Does my chest… Hurts?'

"Come on Axel. Stand up already!" Roxas literally demanded his tall friend, but he just wouldn't budge. Finally, the spiky blonde gave up and turned towards Xion. "Hey, Xion. Let's get those ice cream back here, seems like Mr. Depress here can't even move a single muscle.

Xion's mouth formed an 'o', then she nodded.

"We'll come back later, Axel. Just stay here and don't leave on your own, okay?" Roxas asked Axel. And when a soft 'Okay' was heard from the man on the ground, Roxas instructed Xion to follow him then the both of them left the playground and Axel.

After waking side by side for a few minutes in silence, Xion decided to speak up, "So… Where will we be getting those ice creams at this kind of time? Are there any other 24 hours convenient stores around here except for the one we always go?"

Roxas turned to look at her then answered, "Nah. That's the only 24 hours convenient store in Twilight Town. I thought you know about that too, considered that you're also a night person like us."

Xion looked at him then answered, "I never go far. So I always only go to that same store. But if it was the only 24/7 store in Twilight Town, then where can we get ice creams?"

"My house."

Xion blinked thrice. "Y-your house? We're going to your house?"

Roxas nodded then said, "Yup and no worries. My parents are not at home at the moment, so we don't have to sneak in like ninjas."

Xion shook her head slightly and stopped her steps, which Roxas mirrored. "I'm not worrying about the sneaking in part. It's just that… I'm going to a boy's house, which now I know is empty, at the time of the night when everyone in town is asleep. Doesn't that scream 'Be careful!' to my face?"

Roxas blinked and thought for a few seconds before he got the message Xion is sending, a faint red painted on his cheeks. He can be really clueless sometimes. "O-Oh! I-I understand what you mean. But we're so close to where I live and I can't let you walk back alone… How about this, we walk to my house, and then you wait outside while I get the ice creams. Is that okay with you? Cause I really don't want to see you fight another drunk guy on the way back alone. Please, Xion. Trust me. I won't hurt you in any kind of way."

It was time for Xion to think as she looked into Roxas's eyes, where she found nothing but pleading and honesty. Roxas isn't a bad guy, and she knows that. "Ya. You're right. I shouldn't have doubt you in the first place." After all, Roxas isn't him.

Roxas smiled and sighed in relief. "That's a relief. Thanks for trusting me, Xion. But if you still feel insecure, we can just stick to the plan, okay?" All he got is a nod accompanied with a smile, and that's enough for him. Then, the both of them continued the journey.

Just as Roxas said, they reached his house in a few minutes. What Xion didn't expect to find out is that…

"You live in an apartment?" They stood in front of a short apartment building, which seems to have only 3 floors. Xion noticed there are only three doors, which means that each floor is an apartment. The whole building doesn't looked run down, instead, it was the opposite. There's an outer wall and a steel gate surround the building and a well-kept garden in front of it. Xion followed Roxas through the steel gate without a sound as Roxas replied, "Ya. My mom doesn't like big houses, and my dad usually off on business trips anyway. So we think an apartment is enough for a small family like us."

The ravenette nodded her head as she followed the blonde through the small garden then up the steel stairs, towards the 3rd floor. As she waited for Roxas to find his key and unlock the door, Xion looked around. Living on the 3rd floor is so good! There are sceneries to see, more and colder breeze, and so much quiet than living on the ground floor. Xion drew in a deep breath, looking up to the sky. Now standing on the 3rd floor, Xion felt a step higher from touching the stars.

'I bet all this feeling is so much bigger if I'm on floor 20 or more!' Xion smiled to herself then turned to Roxas when she heard the click of a lock.

Roxas pulled the door opened then asked, "So are you going to wait outside or come in for a while?"

"Actually, I would like to see how your house looks like inside, if you don't mind," Xion questioned, the slight fear of being alone in an empty house with another boy vanished long ago.

"Sure, better than letting a lady such as you waiting outside in the cold night. Ladies first." Roxas said gentlemanly then opened the door wider, inviting her in. Xion looked into the house through the door; it was dark inside (which of course it is since the light wasn't on and no one is in) except for the moonlight shining in from some windows. Unknowingly, she hesitated for a while before stepping into the building. Xion was looking around in the dark, didn't expect the front of her shoe knocked onto something. Losing her balance, Xion felt herself falling facedown towards the floor.

"KYA!"

"Be careful!" A male voice exclaimed then she felt a hand gripped tightly onto her wrist, pulling her away before she could hit the ground. As Xion is catching her breath, she didn't realize her back was actually leaning against Roxas's chest. When she finally snapped out of her mind, she pulled away a little, as Roxas's hold on her is still tight.

"A-Ah. Thank you, Roxas. But you can let go now. Thank you," Xion said.

"N-No problem," Roxas replied then let go of her so quick like she was on fire. "It's my fault. I've forgotten to tell you that the porch area is so much smaller than the average houses. The platform of the house was so close to the door, quite a few visitors do tripped as well. I'm so sorry. I should have on the lights first before inviting you in."

Xion gave him a forgiving smile. "It's okay, Roxas. Some things would just slip out of our mind."

"Ya, I guess so. But it's a good thing you didn't fell, the floor is really hard. Axel got a nosebleed last time." Roxas said then on the lights in the porch before he closed the door. "Almost the same thing happened to Axel when he first came to my house, he tripped and fell, face first. I tried to stop his fall, but he's just too heavy for me. So he ended up with two tissues up his nostrils for the next 10 minutes in my house. I wish you have seen his face when he got up from the floor. It's priceless."

"What does he looked like?" Xion asked as she took off her shoes and followed Roxas to what she presumed is the kitchen.

"I can't tell you that. Axel made me swore not to tell anyone about it. You just have to ask him yourself." With the flick of some switches, the kitchen lit up with warm fluorescent lights, chasing away the shadows. Xion stared at the kitchen with awe, the wood was sprayed white professionally, and the counter top is made of smooth black marble. There's also an island positioned in the middle, with a bowl of fruits placed on it. The overall design gives out a clean and really bright feel instead of the usual kitchen feel, like the kitchen in her house.

"This kitchen is beautiful…"

"Glad you like it. My mom adores black marble, so we used it in the kitchen, and white wood to bring out the contrast." Roxas explained as he walked towards the freezer and open the top compartment, searching for Sea Salt Ice Cream.

"You guys sure have a good taste in interior design." Xion complimented while looking around the kitchen, from top shelves which contain beautiful clean glasses of every kind to the jars of different spices and pastas placed neatly on the counter. "Not to mention the organizing too."

"Thanks for the compliments. Ah! Got it~" Xion turned towards Roxas to see him pulled out a square brown cardboard box from deep within the freezer, frost and ice coated the box in a thin layer. Closed the freezer then placed the box onto the island's counter, Roxas opened it and took 3 Sea Salted Ice Cream packets out, each of them coated with ice just like their box home. Peering into the brown box, Xion realized it was totally full of Sea Salt Ice Cream. Nothing else but that.

"You have a box full of Sea Salt Ice Cream in your house? !" Xion exclaimed in both awe and jealously. If only she can have a box of ice creams like that at her place… "Why do you always buy from the convenient store at night when you have so many at home?"

"Jealous, huh? God, your expression is the same as Axel's! Hahaha!" The blonde laughed.

Xion pouted. "Oh shut up and answer my question." But he didn't answer. "What's wrong now? Suddenly turned into a mute."

Roxas smirked slightly then decided to continue trolling her. "Well, you did tell me to shut up, don't you?"

Xion was red with embarrassment and a little (just tiny little, who could be angry at Roxas for long?) angry at Roxas for trolling with her. "So you decide to play huh? Then…" The next thing Roxas knew, Xion snatched the ice cream box off the counter and ran off with it. "I'll be having these~!" Xion finished in a sing-song tone, dashed out of the kitchen and entered the first room she saw: The Living Room.

"Hey! Wait up, you little thief!" Xion looked over her shoulder and saw Roxas chased after her, but he didn't looked angry, in fact, he looked like he's having a fun time chasing her around the living room, telling her to give up and surrenders the ice creams in a playful tone.

And her answer is the same. "Never~!" She dashed out of the living room, with the ice cream box still held in her hands, she made a turn and run down the hallway. When she saw a door of a certain room was ajar, she entered it without a second thought and locked it behind her.

Xion grinned widely while catching her breath, still leaning against the door. She has never had such a great time in a long time, playing tag seems to bring joy to all ages without fail. After her heart beat back to the normal speed and Roxas's running footsteps now became slow pacing (she guessed he was sneaking around, looking for her), Xion decided to find a place to hide in this particular room if Roxas ever did able to break in.

With the help of the bright moonlight from the only window in the small room, Xion was able to make out she was in a bedroom. Noticed the single-size bed placed right beside the window, Xion guessed this must be Roxas's room.

Looking around, Xion realized the room is simply furnished: A L-shaped study table at the corner of the room, one end of the table touched the head of the bed. A round shaped bed light with fishes circled around it, placed right behind the head of the bed. At her right side, the whole wall was made into a shelf, filled with different books and boxes. There's also a TV and a device at the other side of the room with a star-shape on top, which she wasn't quite sure what it is. The only furniture she didn't saw is a wardrobe.

'Maybe the clothes are kept somewhere else…' Xion thought.

The ravenette noticed that the number of hiding place here is slim to none; there's no space between the bed and the floor, there's no wardrobe to hide in, and the space under the study table is not a good place as well, because it is in plain sight, and leaning onto the wall then slipped out don't always work out.

'Seems like I just have to make sure Roxas stayed out until we decided to stop the game.' She placed the box of ice cream onto the study table and walked back to the door to make sure it remained locked. When she was certain, she went back looking around the room. 'I like how they decorate the lamp and the door. So unique.'

Just then, she heard the floor creaked softly outside the room, it's caused by Roxas for sure. 'Oh! He's here!' Xion quickly ducked away from the door and leaned onto the wall, listening for other noises.

Then the knob turned, and when the door refused to open, it started to shakes and turned multiple times. "So she is in there, huh? Good thing I always bring a spare key with me."

OMG? ! Really? !

When she heard the click of the lock, Xion quickly jumped in front of the door and pushed it with all her might, preventing Roxas from entering.

On the other side, Roxas was about to try to open the door again. It wasn't locked now, but he still can't swing it open. It couldn't be his TV blocking it, so it must be…

"Xion. Just open the door, I know you're in there and you're trapped."

"Am I? Or is it you that is trapped?"

"Just give up, Xion. And return the loot you stole."

"Never!"

Then there was silence…

'Huh? Why he didn't reply?' Xion wondered and tried to peek out through the coloured glasses on the door, but failed due to low lighting. 'Maybe… If I open the door just a tiny bit and peek out…'

Xion placed her hand on knob and turned it ever so slowly. When the door was opened to her desired gap, Xion peeked through and… …

"KYAA!"

Roxas suddenly burst through the door, caught her totally off-guard. Xion staggered backward, but Roxas doesn't seem to lose his footing as he continues charging towards her, both hands stretched out. Suddenly, the back of Xion's legs knocked onto Roxas's bed, caused herself to fall backward. Due to the shock, she stretched out and tried to grab whatever she can out of instinct, which happened to be one of Roxas's own out-stretched hand. In the end, the both of them fell onto the bed.

"A-Ah… That actually hurts….." Xion groaned in pain then opened her eyes, only to come face to face with a certain good-looking blonde, who is surely, on top of her.

"Ya… It did. But I caught you at last." Roxas said then opened his eyes, which was closed during the impact.

At that moment, both of their eyes made contact. Sky blue met deep sea blue.

For the next few minutes, none of them uttered a word as they stared into each other's eyes, mesmerized by the blue abysses. The moon casted it's light softly on the two teens, showing each of their different side of beauty to each other: their eyes glistened and their skin and hair shone under the soft silverish-blue light.

Finally, Xion was able to snap out from her endless gaze, but didn't break the eye contact immediately. She noticed Roxas is still above her, both of his hands placed on each side of her head, and his bottom body weight pressing her down onto the mattress. One thing for sure, she was trapped under him.

'Oh my… How did things turned into like this? I should tell Roxas to snap out of it. But… He's eyes…. OMG! What are you doing, Xion? ! Now's not the time. Did you even notice how close we are? !' Xion screamed in her mind. And it was true that their face is close to each other, so close Xion could felt his steady breathing.

All of a sudden, Xion noticed Roxas was leaning closer and closer to her every second that passed. The ravenette blushed crimson immediately at the increasing closeness. "R-R-Roxas. Wh-"

Then, his lips touched hers.

I have two Cs for you guys and those are: Cliffy and Cliché. So cliché... Well... Sometimes I'm just not original enough. And I think this is the first cliffhanger I have ever written in fanfics. I think... *daze off* Oh! It is not. This is my second I guess.

Anyway, that's the end of this chap, Part 2 would be up in a few days and BE WARNED, it would be a SHORT chap, since the majority is already here in part 1.

I hope you guys enjoy this, plz review/fav/alert. They are my 'after-mission' treat. Just like a Sea Salt Ice Cream. *insert drooling face*