"Something happened."

"It's not really any of your business, Sora. Besides, I thought he hated you."

"He doesn't hate me. He's my friend, whether he likes it or not." Sora insisted, glancing at his roomate's room. "He hasn't come out of his room all weekend."

"So? Maybe he's studying." The silver-haired male brought the brunette closer, nuzzling his neck. "I say we leave him be."

"I left him be for two whole days. Tomorrow's Monday—when his class starts again. I can't let him walk into it like this; like a zombie."

Riku sighed, pulling away. "What could've happened to him?"

"I don't know. He went to Axel's the last time I talked to him." Sora thought aloud. "Maybe something happened there?" The brunette groaned, burying his head in his hands. "I'm such a terrible friend."

"No you aren't." Riku protested softly, his arm going around Sora's shoulders. "You're a great friend."

Sora stood up. "I'm going in. With me luck." He shot a helpless look at Riku, who smiled at him weakly, and went to knock on the door. Nobody responded. Sora opened the door cautiously, saying, "Rox? You in there?"

The room smelled…disgusting. Since the door was closed for two days straight, the same air circulated in the room. No fresh air. It was stale and made Sora start to cough, leaning against the doorframe for support.

When he finally calmed down, he noticed the lights were dim. He clicked them both on—and the room was instantly ten times brighter. On the bed was Roxas, laying on his stomach, with huge ass ear phones and his usual textbook splayed out before him. He wore black basketball shorts, some old jersey, and two white socks were on his feet. Sora couldn't see the blonde's face, so he circled around him.

"Rox?" Sora asked, hearing the dim sound of music coming from the ear phones. It sounded like heavy metal music. He cleared his throat and said louder, "Rox? Hello?"

Blue eyes noticed him, and Rox took down the huge headphones. "Hm?"

"What's wrong?" Sora asked, getting straight to the point.

Roxas looked nonchalant. "Nothing's wrong. I'm studying."

"You've been studying for two days straight?" Sora then noticed wrappers on the floor from food. At least his friend was eating.

"For my next exam." Roxas said quickly.

They sat there in an awkward silence until Sora broke it.

"What happened with Axel?"

The question made Roxas cringe, and Sora perked up. So something did happen over there.

"Nothing." Roxas said all too quickly. "Can I get back to studying?"

"Tell me." Sora insisted strongly, sitting on the bed. "You're a mess."

"Thanks." Roxas said, rolling his eyes.

"So tell me what happened." Sora said softer. "Did you guys…you know…get jiggy with it?"

It took Roxas a moment to understand. He hasn't heard that phrase since he was a teenager. "No." He remembered trying to do it with Axel, but what happened. The bastard rejected me.

"Then what happened? I'm your friend, Rox. I want to help." Sora said genuinely.

"He pissed me off." Roxas said angrily, closing his textbook with a SLAM. He was pacing in the room, ranting. "He's a stupid, ugly jackass who doesn't know shit! I'll bet his mom even condoned him—as well as his dad, who's probably as ugly as him. Oh, and his house is fucking trash. I don't know how he lives in it. The yards not clean, the floor's filthy scum, and his kitchen has no food in it! How stupid is that? Pretty stupid." He broke off, mumbling, "Stupid Axel." Then, he did an impression of Axel—his eyes crossed and poking his blonde hair out to mimic the redhead's, "Got it memorized?"

"So you're mad at him," Sora said, "just because of his house?"

"No!" Roxas skidded to a stop, his hands tightened into fists.

"Then why are you mad at him? Did he say something?"

"Things that base off sex are boring." Axel's voice repeated in Roxas's mind. "Trust me—I've done enough of it. But you're different. You're my friend, Roxas. I don't want just sex."

"Yes he said something!" Roxas snapped, the thought of Axel infuriating him. He took a few deep breathes before calming his features, his heart rate steadily decreasing. "I want nothing to do with him. With that redhead."

"I don't understand why you're mad." Sora said helplessly. "If I could just know why then maybe I can help you."

"There's nothing to help." Roxas grumbled bitterly. "I need to focus on college, not him. He's just a…distraction."

"Alright." Sora said uncertainly, but giving up. "Good luck on your, uh, studying." He walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Riku shot him a look, and he shrugged.

Roxas was a mystery at times.


I can't believe he still works here!

"Axel, my man!" He boomed, his voice echoing throughout the tiny café. Axel was leaning against the counter, and practically jumped at the sudden noise. His eyes widened when he saw who it was.

"Demyx?" Axel gasped, rubbing at his eyes. "Is this a dream?"

"No." Demyx strode towards the desk, leaning against it. "Long time no see, huh?"

"I know." Axel shifted his cupcake hat. "I hear you're in college."

"Sure am." Demyx winked. "It's alright. Parties, college girls, and streaks."

"Oh no." Axel cringed. "Please don't tell me you've—"

"—streaked?" Demyx lit up with a smirk. "I've done it several times. It's an added amount of freedom, know what I mean? Oh, you should know! You've done it before!"

"Yeah." Axel rolled his eyes. "In high school."

"High school was the good times." Demyx said. "But now is when it gets better. How're you doing?"

"Running this place." Axel said, motioning to the café. "That's about it."

Demyx's features softened. "Look, I think it's time for you to move on. You have so much to go for. Don't waste away in here."

"I know. But…I promised Reno I'd keep this place alive." Axel said. "Plus, this place has grown on me. It's not that bad."

"I remember when we were sophomores and we both had our futures planned. I wanted to become a rock star—you wanted to become an actor." Demyx chuckled. "Now look at us. I'm in college! What is the world coming to?"

"Yeah." Demyx noticed Axel's features drop. He knew his friend well enough to know something was up.

"What's wrong?" Demyx asked. "Something's off with you."

"Nothing's wrong." Axel said too quickly, putting on a smile. "I'm just…tired."

"I know you're a nocturnal person. You're only tired in the mornings. What's up?"

The redhead scrambled for words. "I'm just…debating on something."

"On what?"

"On whether I should call him or not."

"Call who?"

"This guy I met." Axel grinned distractedly. "He's…different. I actually wanted to get to know him."

"Axel, I know perfectly well how much of a man whore you are. You could walk down the street and turn any straight guy gay. You like to play games; don't think this isn't one of them." Demyx said genuinely.

"I was a man whore." Axel corrected. "But, I don't know. I think I really like this guy. I don't know why." He squinted his eyes in deep thought.

"What does he look like? He has to be hot if you actually like him."

"He's cute. A blonde, blue eyes, and…I don't know." Axel shrugged. "I just like him."

"That's weird." Demyx concluded. "But why wouldn't you call him?"

"Long story cut short: I've been working my ass off to get the guy to answer my calls. He finally gets closer to me, and when he wants me—I turn his ass down, but only because I want to be real. Now he thinks I've rejected him, and probably hates me. Dem, he told me to never call him again." The redhead ran his fingers through his hair. "It's killing me! I wish I had never turned him down. If I hadn't, I would've—"

"—done the thing you've been doing for years. Got laid." Demyx finished for him. "But seriously. You were the one to call him? That's a first."

"I know. But this guy's different, like I said. For once, I'm out of ideas."

"Let him call you. If he really likes you, he'll call you." He held up his hand when Axel began to protest. "You did the right thing. You want it real? Then you did that. He's the one who didn't keep it real. He'll have to make up for it."

Axel seemed to disagree, but he said nothing. He only fixed a napkin holder, chuckled, and said, "Dem, you always have the right thing to say."


-Three Days Later-

Why the hell isn't he calling me?

Roxas's mind was raging, but he hid it well. With an exam the next day, the blonde could successfully keep his mind preoccupied—for the time being. Three days had passed, and it was a Wednesday afternoon. Roxas was playing an App on his phone, waiting for his laptop to turn on, when he accidentally clicked on "MISSED CALLS" and saw Axel's name. That ruined his day.

Why wasn't the redhead calling him?

Roxas thought for sure that the stubborn redhead would call him. He always did. Through rain or shine—or how much Roxas cussed him out, Axel always called him. But three days had passed, and not a single call from Axel.

It was beginning to bug Roxas.

He decided that he was the one who wronged Axel. He did tell Axel after all that he didn't want the redhead to get into his pants—so Axel did the right thing by refusing him. He was just angry at the time because…he didn't know. He wasn't prone on rejection, but it was good to experience it.

He also decided that he wanted to get to know Axel. It didn't help that his mind tortured him by forcing him to dream of the redhead. He's never been this caught up in someone before, so tangled; lost. It was bizarre and strange territory. Roxas wasn't quite sure if he liked it—but he knew that something would happen if Axel didn't call.


-Three Days Later-


Roxas had to lock himself in his room to keep himself going to the café. There was no way he would lose his dignity over this.

It's been six fucking days. Why isn't he calling me?


-Two Days Later-


I can do this. Just click it, and I'll apologize. Roxas urged himself to call Axel. He was about to press the "call" button before he got an incoming call from Sora. He let out a sigh. Today wouldn't be the day.


-The Next Day-

Roxas missed the days when Axel called him. He actually missed them. Before, when he was getting them, he hated them. He cursed his life, wondering what he did to deserve it.

Now he wanted to know what he did to deserve this.

Every five seconds he checked his phone. He kept the volume tuned as high as it would go. When he did get a call, he practically bounded to his phone, instantly hoping to see Axel's number calling him. But it never was.


-Two Days Later-

Roxas knew that today was the day.

He woke up and felt miserable. He had to call Axel. It was inevitable.

Locking the door to his room, Roxas went over the conversation he'd have with Axel. He tried to memorize his apology, and how he'd greet the redhead. When he finally gained enough confidence, he went to Axel's number and hesitated to call him.

What if he's mad at me?

Finally, he forced himself to click the call button.

And before it could ring, he hung up.


Roxas tried several tactics to forget the redhead.

He hung out with Sora (which was very brutal; torture) and that worked, only because the brunette told him the whole story of his high school drama. Of course Roxas didn't have much to talk about, that is, if you leave out the whole problem with his best friend who developed a crush overnight on the girl Roxas thought he liked. Turns out, she wasn't worth the fight, but Hayner didn't think so. He thought that she was more important than Roxas.

So, after hanging out with Sora, Roxas did the impossible: he called Olette. The girl who played a major role in destroying his relationship with his best friend. She always liked him, which probably made Hayner all the angrier. She did start dating Hayner their senior year—after Hayner and Roxas stopped talking completely. She and Pence (Roxas's other friend) still spoke to Roxas, but Hayner and Roxas were suddenly arch enemies. Whenever Roxas went skateboarding, he always competed with Hayner if he ran into him. When they were friends, it was fun to compete, but this type of competing was different. It was rivalry. Roxas hated it, but what's done is done.

Olette picked up on the first ring. "Roxas? Oh my gosh—hi!" Her voice was cheerful. It made Roxas angry.

"Hi." Was all Roxas could say. What else could he say?

"How are you?" Olette asked.

"Good. You?" Roxas was stiff and tense.

"Roxas, don't talk to me like I'm a stranger." Olette said, a little too casual. Roxas narrowed his eyes. Something was up. She was hiding something.

"How're you and Hayner?" Roxas asked the one question he's been dying to know ever since Hayner and Roxas broke up. It hurt to say the name. His ex best friend's name. It brought back so many memories. Bad and good.

"We're getting married." Olette said quietly. "Roxas? Would you please come to the wedding?"

Hell to the no.

"It's in a month." Olette said quickly. "Please. Hayner hasn't said anything about you. I think he feels bad."

I don't give a shit about what he feels! What about me? He screwed me over!

"I'll consider going." Roxas concluded.

Olette seemed happy about that. "I miss you a lot, Roxas. We all do. Even Hayner. He's missed you since senior year—he's just too stubborn to admit it."

"I gotta go." Roxas said shortly, not wanting to talk to her any longer. He hung up before she could protest, curled into the fetal position, and got lost in memories that didn't seem too long ago but they might as well have been.

"Hey this is Axel's refrigerator. I'm running at the moment, but I'll be sure to let Axel know you called." Roxas let out a sigh when it went to voicemail. Figures. The one time he gathered enough courage to call Axel—he doesn't answer.

Is this what it's like to be ignored?

Roxas pursed his lips. He knew how to play this game. He was once on the other end.

He dialed the number again. It rang two times and then—

"Hello?"

Roxas's mind went blank. That one word—the simplest word in the universe, made him forget his own name. He sat on his bed, prayed Axel wouldn't hang up, and whispered, "Axel."

It was silent on the other hand.

Roxas took a shaky breath, and said, "Look—I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. All this time I've told you I didn't want you in my pants, but I was being a complete ass at your house. I was being a hypocrite." When nobody answered to that, Roxas asked uncertainly, "Are you there?"

"Yeah Yuffie—I own this place, so shut the fuck up. Yeah! I can fire you, just you see. All you do is walk around—oh shit." Axel was saying, not into the phone, but in the background. Then, his voice was back. "I forgot you were on the phone. What were you saying?"

"Axel." Roxas said, a little louder this time. "I'm sorry."

It was silent for a few seconds, and then Axel said:

"Took you long enough to give me a fucking call."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. That was…unexpected. "What?"

"It took you almost two weeks just to call me." Axel said.

Roxas retaliated. "Well you didn't call me either!"

"Because you told me not to!"

"Well that never stopped you before!"

"Look—how come it took you this long to call me?"

Roxas mumbled something. Axel didn't hear him. So, he repeated, "Because you're supposed to call me."

"Excuse me?" Axel broke off laughing. "Are you serious? Why do I have to call you?"

"It's just how things work!" Roxas said, grinning to himself.

"You just have too much pride." Axel said knowingly. "I had pride once. But once you start owning a café—it all changes."

Roxas found himself smiling again. Like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. He just fixed a relationship.

Maybe if I had swallowed my pride back in high school Hayner and I could've been friends…

But it's too late. Far too late.

"Maybe I've waited too long," Roxas wondered aloud. Axel caught it.

"No. Waiting won't get you anywhere." Axel said matter-of-factly. "You have to act. Got it memorized?"

Roxas rolled his eyes. "You don't even know what I'm talking about."

"I don't know to know to know that you have to act." Axel was smug now.

"Axel…" Roxas took a serious, genuine tone. He hated to admit it…

"Yes?"

Should he admit it? Would it make him look stupid?

Swallow your pride.

"I missed you." Roxas said, breathless. The truth. The honest, plain truth.

"I missed you, too." Axel said with ease, though Roxas knew he meant it. "I was debating whether or not if I should cave and just ignore your request. But…I wanted to see what you would do."

"If I hadn't have called you in a year, what would you have done?"

"I wouldn't wait that long. If you gave me another day or two I would've called." Axel insisted.

"Well, I feel much better." Roxas said honestly. "I've been a wreck lately."

"Same here." Axel admitted. "Though I still look as hot as hell." Roxas could picture the redhead grinning on the other end. "Kidding. I'm not that conceited. Well, not anymore."

"From now on, I'll call if I want to." Roxas vowed. "I won't wait for you to call me. I'll call you."

"You better." Axel said. "Or I'll call you."

Roxas chuckled. "Is that a threat?"

"It's a promise, got it memorized?" The redhead moved the phone or something—it made a noise. "Hey, what're you doing tomorrow?"

"I'm planning on studying my exam, finishing my term paper, working on a project that'll be due in three weeks and—"

"—stop! You're giving me a headache just talking about that!" Axel cut him off.

"Let me finish!" Roxas hesitated. "And then I was planning on visiting you at the café."

He knew Axel was smiling. "To see my awesome cupcake hat?"

"Yes. To see your awesome cupcake hat."


Ah! This isn't the last chapter, well, technically it is! But I'll have one last chapter up, kind of like an epilogue or something. Anyway, this was supposed to actually be a one shot when I first wrote it, but decided I could span it out a bit. Like it? Let me know!