Another chapter. Yay.
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"Riku, Riku! Look!"

Riku blinked at the horribly drawn picture Sora had done on the canvas. "It's, uh...nice, Sora..." He titled his head. "What is it?"

Sora pouted. "It's a puppy."

Roxas snorted. "I thought it was a cucumber."

Sora glared. "You're a jerk! Axel, isn't Roxas a jerk."

Axel blinked. "Um..."

"I am not!" Roxas argued.

"You are so."

"I thought it was a puppy..." Axel said softly.

Both looked at him until Riku cut in. "I thought it was a slice of cheese..." He cocked his head to the left. "Now it's a cucumber."

Sora glared at him. "Yeah, well, you're not artistic is all. Me and Axel are."

Axel pulled on Roxas's sleeve, frowning. "What's artistic?"

Roxas sighed. "Lea, go take your pills."

"Aw, but Roxy-"

"Lea, go."

Axel sighed heavily, walking over to the tray and taking the white pill on it. He shuddered before returning to his regular self. Roxas nodded, turning back to see Riku and Sora arguing about how a cucumber looked like a slice of cheese.

"It doesn't!" Sora snapped.

"Of course it doesn't!" Riku said. "That's the point! You.Suck.At.Drawing."

There was a pause as Sora's eyes got watery. Riku blinked, panicking slightly. 'Dammit, I didn't mean to make him cry! What do I do??'

"I think it's a cute puppy, Sora." Axel said, not even looking up from his painting.

Sora immediately perked up. "Really??"

"Yeah. Just next time, don't make him green."
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"Hello Squall, Aeris."

Leon smiled, shaking Zexion's hand. "It's good to have you back, Zexion. And it's Leon now."

Zexion smirked. "Got sick of people calling you Squally?"

Leon shook his head. "No, just...things happened."

Zexion frowned a little, looking at the scar on his forehead. "That's all that's left, huh?"

"Yeah...I guess I got lucky." the brown-haired man muttered. "What about you?"

Zexion moved the hair covering his face, showing a large scar and a pure-white eye. "Partially blind. I'm lucky too, I guess. He could've gotten both eyes and then I'd be unable to do anything. I'd still be in recovery another seven years."

"I heard you got married." Aeris said.

Zexion smiled. "Yeah. One of the nurses, ironically. Name's Demyx. He followed me here, actually. Wanted to see if he could get a job here."

"We're always looking for new nurses." Aeris nodded. "Are you planning on being Axel's Therapist again?"

"If he wants me." the lilac-haired male muttered. "I...I heard about Even. He might not want a new Therapist, ever."

"I doubt that." Leon said, making Zexoin raise an eyebrow. "You haven't met Roxas. The kid's good at working miracles. It's only Aku that seems affected by what happened now, and though Axel would reject a new Therapist, you're an old one."

Zexion smiled. "Alright, lead me to my office. I'd also like for Roxas to be with us for the first session."
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"Another Therapist?" Roxas asked, frowning. "I don't like that."

Aeris smiled. "Don't worry, Roxas. You'll be right there with him the whole time."

"But what if he goes after Roxy?" Axel said, crossing his arms. "I don't like that either."

"I promise, nothing like that will happen." she assured them.

Roxas sighed. "Alright. Let's go then."

The walked to the office, Axel holding Roxas's hand. Aeris noticed but didn't say anything, which Roxas was happy about. He could save his feelings for Axel until he got out, no matter how long that took. Aeris knocked on the door and let them inside, smiling the whole time.

Axel sat down on the chair, looking uneasy. Roxas didn't blame him. He didn't even want to think of what had happened in this same office a few days ago.

"Axel, you're grown."

Axel nearly fell out of his seat. "Z-Zexion??"

Zexion smiled, waving. "It's good to see you again, Axel. Geez, how tall are you now?" The lilac-haired man walked over, Axel standing and almost shorter than Roxas. "Damn. I'm still short."

Axel's eyes were wide. "W-when did you get back?"

Zexion brushed the question off, smirking. "Come now Axel, we only have an hour. I'd much rather talk about you're progress with Roxas."

Roxas stared. This was the man that had been attacked by Aku? He was so...nice. And he seemed rather talkative, really. Zexion sat in his seat behind the desk, motioning for Axel and Roxas to do the same. Axel did, still in shock. Zexion began writing things down, getting ready for their session, when Axel spoke.

"I could've killed you..."

Zexion paused. "But you didn't. That's all that matters, Axel. I pushed too hard too soon. I never once blamed you."

Axel frowned. "But you'll...never see out of that eye."

"Axel, I was attacked by a very angry person. One who's not you, but he likes to think he is. He likes to think that he's protecting himself as well. Do you know who that is?" Zexion asked.

"...Aku?"

"Yes." Zexion smiled. "And are you Aku?"

Axel blinked. "N-no..."

"Then you didn't do it." Zexion concluded easily. "Now, tell me about what's been happening lately. Like your new nurse for example."
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Selphie looked up when a young man walked in with Rude. Odd, Rude usually was away on business, being a Social Security worker. And that boy with him...he looked familiar. He had red hair and blue eyes, along with odd marks under them. He was wearing black clothes, his hair into a long pony-tail.

"Who's this, Rude?" she asked.

"Selphie," Rude said, guiding the boy over. "I'd like you to meet Reno, Axel's younger brother."
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Roxas smiled as Axel talked with Riku about Zexion. He seemed to like the man a lot. It was nice, really. It seemed that lately, Axel would only be close to the blond, but now the Therapist had walked in and Axel was so open with him. Roxas thought that he might be jealous, but he was relieved. Axel was closer to getting better.

"Axel seems to like this guy." Sora commented dryly.

Roxas laughed. "Getting forgiven after seven years will to that."

"Did Mom tell you? About Dad?" Sora asked.

"You mean how Cloud's the Boss of the building? No." Roxas snorted. "I think she's too scared to go near me right now. I heard from Leonleon."

Sora chuckled at the nickname, though he'd never have to guts to say it to Leon's face like Axel and Roxas. "She wants to make sure you're not mad at her anymore."

"I'm going to be mad for a long time, Sora." Roxas muttered darkly. "Everytime I go home, I worry that Axel might get hurt or upset...I don't want something to happen. Axel's so happy that he might be getting better."

"He really likes you, huh?" Sora whispered, looking a bit sad. "When I talked to him before, he only talked about you."

"Roxas?"

Both boys turned. A bald man with sun-glasses and hell of a lot of earrings stood in a suite with a teenage boy. Roxas recognized him as Rude. He was usually gone, but he had been introduced once and had never seen him again. But that boy with him...

"This is Reno." Rude greeted. "He needs to talk to Axel."

Roxas looked him over, suddenly nervous. "Axel? Come here please."

Axel walked over, looking confused. Riku followed him, deciding that he wanted Sora to take him to the kitchen since he was hungry. Sora rolled his eyes but nodded, leaving them alone.

"Who's this, Rude?" Axel asked, frowning.

Reno smiled, popping some gum. "Name's Reno, yo. You're my older brother."

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Heh heh. Meet Reno. XP I know it's kinda short, but I need to work on Yellow as Blood and 'Oops'...and Animal. Bleh. Too many stories. ::cries::

R&R