"Oh god..." Axel had no idea what to say. He got Roxas pregnant? Well, that clarified why the boy didn't want to talk to him after the whole affair...But...
"How?"
Roxas shook his head slightly, scoffing. "Axel, did you never pay attention in sex ed?"
"Yes I did!" he defended. "...Sort of..."
"Then you should know that some guys carry that mutant gene. The Bearer gene, I think it's called." The boy paused for a moment, finally nodding to himself. "We didn't figure out that I had it until I went to the doctor. I didn't go much as a kid, so I never figured it out until it was too late."
Axel just stared at him, causing Roxas to raise an eyebrow skeptically.
"I'm surprised you didn't know more about this. Sleeping around with so many people, I'd think you'd have impregnated others. How many people have you slept with anyway?"
Axel didn't say anything. He still seemed baffled by the fact that he had a kid. Roxas sighed.
"This is one of the reasons I didn't tell you. Though, admittedly, you're taking this better than I did."
Axel shook his head, then turned back to look at Roxas.
"You...you knew you were having my baby...and you kept it anyway?"
Roxas frowned. "Her, Axel. Kairi's not an it." He turned back to the counter and opened a box of bowtie-shaped pasta. "But yes."
The redhead stared at him, uncomprehending. "Why?"
The blond paused for a moment, looking back to see that Kairi was well-content playing with her heartless doll and sippy cup. He took a deep breath and shut his eyes a moment, remembering it all too well...
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"That bastard! I'll kill him!"
"Roxas, calm down!" Sora pushed him back down onto the doctor's table and holding the blond in place. It was partially to comfort him, but also to keep him from hurting himself.
Roxas shook his head and cried, bringing his hands up to cover his eyes. "No! I can't calm down! That bastard got me pregnant! M-My life is over!" And it truly felt like it was. How would he keep going to school? He'd never be able to go out with his friends again. Everything would change.
He almost started to hyperventilate when Sora grabbed his face and held it firmly.
"Roxas, your life is not over. Listen to me." He waited until the boy looked at him, wiping a tear away as it ran down his cheek. "This doesn't have to be a burden on you. It's a great opportunity."
Roxas sniffed, looking away slightly. "H-How?"
Sora faltered for a moment, then smiled widely. "God has given you a precious gift, Roxy. Remember how you were always worried that you'd never have a real family? Well, now you can!"
"But Axel-"
"Shhhh." The brunet pressed his head against his chest and hugged his brother warmly, patting his back. "You don't need Axel. If he doesn't want to be a part of this family, then fine. Don't think about it. I'll help you, and so will Riku, and Dad. It'll be fine; you'll see."
Roxas hiccuped and leaned in closer to him.
"What if I...what if I don't want this baby?"
Sora sighed softly, pulling back a bit so that he could look down at Roxas.
"I would tell you to put it up for adoption then. But why don't we wait and see how you feel later?"
The blond shook his head. "I'm scared."
"I know." Sora patted his back and sighed. "I know. But there's a life in there, Roxas. Are you sure you want to think about that option so soon, even if it is Axel's?"
Another head shake. The brunet gave him a small smile. "Then let's wait. Who knows?"
Roxas nodded slowly, wiping his eyes. He was afraid of having to give birth. He'd seen videos of it in sex ed and it looked painful. But the baby...
Well, it wasn't a baby yet. But it would be within a year, and... and as long as he stayed away from Axel, he should be alright. And somewhere in his heart, Roxas did want to make up for the family that he felt he never had. With this child, he could be the doting parent his never were. He could make things right...
Roxas placed a hand over his stomach gently as he thought, wondering when he would start to feel the baby kicking inside. He would have to do some research while he decided and see...
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Axel gaped at him. The boy in front of him suddenly looked so much older; so much more worn and tired. Maybe it was the lights in the kitchen, but Axel became even more aware of the bags underneath his eyes; the pallor of his skin. He didn't look happy with what he'd chosen.
"Why did you decide to keep her?"
Roxas looked down slightly, smiling to himself.
"I saw her on the sonogram during a few of the appointments. I was still deciding then, and Sora was always telling me to have her. He said I could put her up for adoption if I wanted to after. I guess...I guess I fell in love with her. And she was so small and helpless. I felt this instinct to protect her, you know?"
Axel continued to stare at him. The blond shook his head and let out a small, bitter laugh.
"I should have guessed you wouldn't understand. Maybe I wasn't a whore too, after all."
That got his attention. Insulted, Axel rose to his feet, startling a small 'eep' out of Roxas.
"I'm not that way anymore, Roxas. You have no right to talk about me that way. You didn't talk to me for 4 years."
Roxas looked startled for a moment, but his eyes narrowed slowly, and he stepped forward to meet Axel. He looked him in the eye more confidently; a first for Roxas, as Axel assumed.
"Don't think you can push me around anymore, Axel. This is my house, and I won't tolerate any crap. I get enough of it everyday," he snapped, surprising the redhead. "You gave me that impression, but maybe you've changed. I don't know. When I wanted to tell you about Kairi, you broke my leg!"
"What?" He remembered pushing the blond, but... "You never told me about Kairi! You just yelled at me!"
"That's because I-"
"Daddy?"
The two of them broke away, looking at Kairi. The little redhead had cast aside her toys and was watching them cautiously, not understanding the reason they were fighting. Roxas sighed, running a hand through his hair before he came over to her high chair, seeing her arms extended in pleading. He lifted her into his arms and held her close, rocking her slightly.
"I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean to upset you."
"I-Is Axel in trouble?" she asked childishly. Roxas smiled down at her sweetly, though Axel could see it didn't reach his eyes.
"No, baby. He's just a meanie sometimes." The blond almost laughed when Axel replied by sticking out his tongue. Kairi giggled softly, snuggling into her father's arms and sticking her thumb into her mouth. Roxas picked up her stuffed heartless and placed it in her hands, smiling when she clutched it tightly. He then turned to Axel, his face becoming a bit more serious.
"I'm sorry. I should have told you. But I was scared, okay?"
Axel raised an eyebrow. "What did you think I would do?"
"Well, you are the other father," the blond said nervously, lowering his gaze. "You technically have partial custody of her. I thought that, because of how you acted, you wouldn't want a baby. I thought you might..." He stopped for a moment, looking a bit distraught. Axel felt his heart tugging a little. He softened his features and stepped closer, motioning Roxas to continued.
"I'd what?"
Roxas shook his head. "I thought you might tell me to give her away."
Axel looked down guiltily for a moment. "Why would I do that?"
"I-I don't know. I just didn't want you to take her away from me." His eyes began to tear up slightly, and he took a step back from Axel, holding Kairi tighter to him. "Y-You took so much from me...I didn't want to lose Kairi too..."
Axel felt hurt. Roxas was acting like he was a complete monster. Sure, he didn't want a kid at such a young age, but he would never force Roxas to get rid of her. Looking at Kairi now, as she glanced up at her father with concern, he couldn't help but want to love her too. She was beautiful and sweet, and most of all, she was his little girl...
And Roxas had kept her from him. He wasn't sure what made him angrier, Roxas leaving him out of such an important decision, or that he'd been denied the joy of seeing her in the hospital. The more he looked at her little face, he understood the pride that would come with watching your child come into this world.
Axel glared at Roxas now. "I didn't take anything from you. If anything, you took her away from me! I didn't get to see her for 4 years, didn't know she even existed! You had no right to keep all this from me!"
The blond looked truly afraid of him. He backed away toward the hall, looking like he would call Sora for help at any minute. Axel was about to follow him, demand answers, but he realized that he wasn't helping anything. If anything, he was widening the gap between Roxas and himself. He would never trust him now. He'd probably never let him near Kairi again. Axel could fight for it in court, but he really didn't have the money. His father wouldn't be willing to help either.
Axel raised a hand to his head. This was giving him too much of a headache.
"I'm going home," Axel muttered, walking past the defensive Roxas and out past a curious Sora on the couch. "I have some...things to think about..."
Roxas didn't stop him. He watched the redhead stalk down the stairs and out the door without another word.