(A/N): Yep, I don't have much to say, except please review, especially if you have this on your faves and/or alerts. Thank you.
Disclaimer: I still don't own the characters. I'm still trying, of course, but I don't think it's gonna happen.
He Kicked the Door In...And Then He Stayed
"So you're all coming?" Roxas tucked his cell phone between his ear and his shoulder as he dug Axel's keys out of his pocket, dividing his attention between Sora's voice and trying to keep the keys from slipping out of his gloved fingers. He hated the cold.
"Yeah, isn't it great?" Sora grinned. Roxas couldn't help but smile at his cousin's obvious excitement. "Riku and Kairi are gonna fly out with me. Oh, are you gonna meet us at the airport?"
"Of course, Sora," Roxas laughed, finally managing to get the door open in spite of his gloves. Feeling vaguely triumphant, he returned the keys to his pocket and turned his attention back to his phone. "Have you guys figured out where you're gonna stay?"
"Yeah, Cloud got us reservations at Highwind Hotel." Roxas stifled a laugh as he tried to picture Cid – gruff, surly Cid – as the concierge of the Highwind. "It'll be so cool! You can come and stay with us during break – Riku and Kairi haven't seen you in ages…"
Sora continued to chatter animatedly as Roxas climbed the stairs to Axel's apartment, the blond grunting occasionally to signal that he was still listening. "... and we'll be there for two weeks," Sora finished triumphantly.
"I know, Sora," Roxas laughed, giving a precursory knock at Axel's door before he entered. Demyx was seated cross-legged in the living room – he'd shoved the coffee table to the side and was bent over his guitar, absently picking a melody from the strings. He glanced up with a grin, nodding at Roxas as the younger boy closed the door behind him.
Kicking off his wet boots, Roxas waved at the musician distractedly as he settled into the armchair, lowering his backpack to the floor. It had been two weeks since the night at the café, and Roxas found himself developing a grudging friendship with the older blond. Demyx leaned his head back against the couch, his fingers stilling as he waited patiently for Roxas to get off the phone.
"So when you will be getting in?" Roxas asked, grabbing a pen from his book bag. He looked around for a spare piece of paper, grinning in thanks when Demyx ripped a corner off the scribbled music he had spread before him.
"The fifteenth. We should land around five."
"Just remember to pack for the weather," Roxas warned, scribbling the information on the scrap of paper Demyx had handed him. "We can't all live on a tropical island where the temperature never falls below sixty." Sora gave an indignant huff.
"I've visited you before, Rox," he complained. "I know how to pack, thank you very much." Roxas pinched his lips together to keep from reminding his cousin about the time he'd shown up wearing shorts in the middle of January.
"Ok," he relented. "We'll meet you when you land, all right?"
"Ok," Sora grinned, good mood instantly restored. "I'll talk to you later, Roxas."
Roxas flipped his phone closed and slid it back into his backpack, waving the slip of paper at Demyx briefly before he slipped it into his pocket. "Thanks," he muttered, peeling off his gloves. Demyx nodded as he leaned back over his guitar.
"Sora?" he asked casually, pausing to scratch out a note he'd just added to his music.
"Yeah."
Leaving his jacket and gloves in the armchair, Roxas grabbed his backpack and settled at the coffee table, spreading his homework out and tapping a pencil idly against the table as he stared at his calculus notes.
"Axel called earlier," Demyx said distractedly, gathering his papers together and scooting to the side to give Roxas more room. "He got caught up at work and he's running late." Roxas nodded, not missing the contemplative glance Demyx shot at him. The guitarist was still curious about the exact nature of the relationship between Roxas and Axel. Roxas couldn't blame him – so was he.
They hadn't spoken about what had happened between them, and Axel hadn't touched him since that night in the kitchen. Roxas had developed a habit of visiting Axel's apartment after school, the mismatched furniture becoming as familiar to him as his own, working on his homework as he waited for the redhead to get back from work. Occasionally Demyx was already there, and when Axel got home they'd eat together before the redhead had to leave for his evening classes. When he didn't have class, they'd gather in the living room and watch television or play video games, and sometimes Axel would throw his arm around Roxas's shoulders, but that was it.
It was normal. It was ordinary.
It was driving Roxas insane.
Because not talking about it did nothing to relieve the tension that undercut each and every interaction they had, did nothing to address the dreams that still plagued Roxas – in the forced calm they'd built for themselves, there was the ever-present knowledge that they were only keeping something at bay, and they both knew they couldn't ignore it for much longer.
"You ok? Roxas?"
Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Roxas noticed Demyx was watching him with a concerned expression on his face. He glanced down and realized he was clutching his pencil so tightly it was almost ready to snap. He forced a smile to his face as he relaxed his grip. "Yeah," he breathed, ignoring the flare of pain in his hand. "Bad day."
"Uh-huh…" Demyx's gaze didn't waver, and Roxas looked away, flushing. "What's wrong?" Demyx grinned as Roxas turned and scowled at him. "You're a bad liar, kid."
Roxas huffed at him as he dragged a hand through his hair. He turned back to his homework, determined to ignore the musician. Demyx watched him out of the corner of his eye as he bent back over his guitar.
"So are you gonna talk about it?" he asked suddenly, grinning at Roxas's expression as the younger boy turned and glared at him.
"No," Roxas said shortly, turning back to his homework.
"Do you wanna talk about something else?"
Roxas ground his teeth as he fought the urge to beat the musician over the head with his math book. "No."
"Well, I am in the mood for some conversation," Demyx insisted, reaching out and poking at the back of Roxas's head.
"Obviously," Roxas snapped, smacking the musician's hands away from him. Roxas rolled his eyes as Demyx's grin widened and he settled back against the couch, resting his arms on his guitar.
"Come on, Roxas," Demyx wheedled. "Be nice and talk to me."
"Why?"
"Because I'm bored," Demyx shrugged.
"Read a book," Roxas muttered, hunching his shoulders as he tried to concentrate on his homework. Demyx sighed behind him and began to drum his fingers against his guitar. Roxas glanced over his shoulder, frowning. "Do you mind?" Demyx just lifted an eyebrow at him.
Sighing, Roxas turned away from his homework. Pushing his hair out of his face, he regarded Demyx with exaggerated frustration. The guitarist only smirked at him. "Fine," Roxas grumbled. "What do you want to talk about?"
Demyx's expression sobered. "Axel," he said quietly. Roxas flushed and began to turn away, but Demyx leaned forward and tapped the younger boy in the temple. "Don't do that," he muttered, frowning.
"There's nothing to talk about," Roxas mumbled, batting Demyx's hand away half-heartedly. Demyx sighed in exasperation.
"Look Roxas, I already told you you're a bad liar," he grumbled, running a hand through his hair.
"Ok," Roxas snapped. "If you're so desperate to talk about Axel, tell me how you two met." Demyx blinked at him, a small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Axel hasn't told you about that yet?" he asked, laughing softly. Roxas smirked and leaned forward.
"When I ask he rolls his eyes and says he doesn't wanna talk about it." Demyx's grin widened.
"Sounds like him," he chuckled, absently strumming a few chords.
"So?" Roxas prompted. Demyx grinned and wagged a finger at him.
"You are trying to avoid the conversation," he chided. Roxas only smirked at him. Demyx sat back with a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Ok," he relented. "Well, there are two parts to this little story I like to tell, and Axel's embarrassed by both of 'em." Roxas nodded and grinned, settling himself more comfortably as Demyx rested his arms on his guitar again.
"The first time we saw each other, we didn't exactly meet," Demyx began, a smile tugging at his lips as he tapped a finger against his guitar. "In fact, the first time, Axel turned around and ran so quickly I was pretty damn sure I'd never see him again."
Demyx paused to laugh at Roxas's expression. "Ok, hold on, don't freak out," he gasped, wiping the tears out his eyes. "It's not what you're thinking." Roxas lifted an eyebrow at him, scowl still in place. "Ok, ok – so, actually, Axel sort of walked in on me and my boyfriend when we were right in the middle of, uh –" The musician broke off and howled with laughter at Roxas's expression, wiping his hands across his eyes. "I'm sorry," he cried. "Your – your face…"
"What? How the hell…" Roxas's voice trailed away as he stared at the musician, feeling slightly dazed. Demyx shrugged, tears of mirth rolling down his cheeks.
"Bathroom," he gasped out. "During the Homecoming game." Roxas groaned, flushing as he tried to fight the smirk tugging at his lips.
"Classy," he choked out. "Didn't you think someone would –"
"We locked the door," Demyx interrupted, grinning widely. "I'm not that stupid, kid."
Roxas paused, brows drawing together in confusion. "Then how…?" Demyx's grin widened.
"He kicked the door in," he chuckled. "He told me later he thought someone was murdering me." Roxas buried his head in his hands and groaned. He could've lived a long, happy life without that particular image assaulting his brain. "Anyway," Demyx continued cheerfully, "he just sort of stood there for a second with that blank look he gets, then he just turned around and walked out again."
Roxas fought the urge to turn back to his homework. "I can see why Axel hates that story," he muttered. Demyx flushed, but he grinned and shrugged.
"Yeah, well, you asked," he teased, wagging a finger at Roxas again. Roxas groaned.
"Does the second part include…" He trailed off, scowling as Demyx's grin widened. "Because if it does, I really don't think I wanna hear it."
Demyx ducked his head, his grin gentling. "Nah, there's none of that," he muttered. "But you could say it happened because of that." Roxas glanced up, expression softening as he took in the way Demyx's fingers were fiddling nervously with the guitar's tuners.
"What happened?" Roxas asked softly. Demyx glanced up, seemingly surprised at the gentle tone, before he shrugged and a crooked grin spread across his face. Taking a deep breath, he leaned back, locking his eyes with Roxas's.
"I was walking back from a friend's house when these two blitzball players jumped me. I was always pretty open about my orientation, and they were freshmen – probably thought they'd make themselves look good to their teammates by beating up the gay guy. I don't know. I'd been roughed up before, but those two…" He trailed off, absently drumming his fingers against his guitar.
"One of 'em pushed me – hard – and I tripped over the curb and hit my head. I don't know if it was the blood, or the fact that I was already down, but they really started in on me… It-it got pretty bad," he said, his voice small. Roxas swallowed thickly as Demyx took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. "People must've heard it," he muttered, frowning. "I mean, they had to have been able to hear it, but Axel was the only one who stopped. Have you ever seen him fight?" he asked, glancing up at Roxas.
Roxas shook his head wordlessly, flushing under Demyx's gaze. "He's amazing," Demyx said earnestly. "He jumped right in – those kids were blitzball players, they were huge – and he drove 'em off in five minutes, easy. He recognized me from, uh, before, and used my cell phone to call an ambulance. He rode with me to the ER, and when they let him, he sat with me until my mom came." He paused, gazing at Roxas's face worriedly as the younger boy paled. "Are you ok?"
Roxas nodded woodenly. "I don't like hospitals," he muttered harshly. He raised his eyes back to Demyx's. "Were you all right?"
"They kept me overnight – I had a concussion, fractured wrist, and they cracked a couple of my ribs – but," he hastened to add as Roxas winced, "it could've been a lot worse." There was another short silence as Demyx fingered the frets of his guitar, his eyes far away.
"My mom –" Demyx paused, smiling at the memory. "My mom was horrified at first – Axel was a mess from the fight, and he just sort of stared at her when she showed up – she thought he was one of the people who'd beat me up. She got real hysterical, started screaming at him even though I told her to stop – he just let her yell, then he got up and walked out without a word. I was sure that was the last time I'd ever see him, but he visited me at home the next day after school.
"My mom felt horrible for the way she'd screamed at him, so she let him in. He came into my room and just stared at me. I kept expecting him to start telling me off or tell me it was my fault or something, but he didn't say a word – it was friggin' intimidating," he grinned, running a hand through his hair. "He finally just asked how long I'd be out. When I told him the doctor wanted to keep me out of school for at least a month to let my ribs heal, he just nodded and left. The next day he showed up with my homework – just handed it to my mom and took off.
"He came every day after that – my mom kept asking him in, but he never stayed. Finally, after two weeks, he came up with her. He didn't say a word 'til she left the room, then he dug out his cigarettes and lit up, looking at me like he was daring me to say something about it. I wouldn't have complained if he'd set the room on fire – he scared the shit outta me." Roxas snorted softly at Demyx's wry grin. The musician made a face at him. "Hey, he's mellowed considerably since high school," he said defensively. "Anyway, he finally asked if I was keeping up with the homework, and when I told him I was having problems with the math, he dragged a chair over to the bed and grabbed his book out of his backpack. He wound up staying for dinner.
"He had a part-time job, so he didn't always stay, but – oh, he lied about his age on the application," Demyx mumbled in response to Roxas's raised eyebrow. "Anyway, when he didn't work, he'd stay and help me with the homework, and gradually he started staying after the homework was finished. The thing that kinda cemented it – for me, anyway – was when he showed up at my door the morning I had to go back to school. He didn't say a word, just smirked at me, but I knew he knew how nervous I was about having to go back. He – he sort of took it on himself to look after me after that," Demyx grinned. "People didn't try to mess with me once Axel started hanging around – just his look was intimidating, and he wasn't shy about using his fists when he had to –"
"Damn it, Dem, you've got a big mouth," a familiar voice growled from the doorway. Demyx grinned widely as Roxas whipped around to find Axel leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest.
"Aw, what's wrong? Are you afraid to let Roxas find out you're not really the bastard you pretend to be?" Demyx teased. Axel scowled and pitched his keys at Demyx's head, the guitarist ducking and laughing as Axel rolled his eyes and closed the door behind him.
"Asshole," Axel muttered.
"You don't mean that," Demyx retorted with a sly smile, sticking his tongue out when Axel gave him the finger.
Ignoring the musician, Axel moved past the two of them, reaching out and ruffling Roxas's hair. "Hey, Rox."
"Hey," Roxas responded absently. Axel went straight out to the small balcony off the kitchen, pulling the door closed behind him. Demyx bent back over his guitar, smile still dancing in his eyes. Roxas started when the musician spoke.
"Hey, Roxas. He's gonna need his keys – that idiot'll forget he chucked them at me." With a wide smile, Demyx pressed the keys into Roxas's hands before turning back to his music. Roxas stared at him mutely for a moment before he rose on unsteady legs and followed Axel out to the balcony.
Axel was leaning on the railing, cigarette pinched between his lips as he glared at the parking lot with singular ferocity. He turned when he heard Roxas step onto the small balcony. The redhead sighed heavily, dragging a hand through his hair. "What's wrong, Roxas?"
"Was it true?" Roxas asked softly, turning Axel's keys over his hands nervously. Axel smirked tiredly, his eyes reflecting the brief glow of his cigarette as he took a deep drag.
"What, did I walk in on Dem? Yeah, and my retinas did their damnedest to commit suicide –"
"The other part," Roxas interrupted, scowling up at the redhead. Axel frowned and stared back out over the balcony.
"Dem exaggerates," he muttered. "It's not like I saved his damn life." There was a short pause as Axel took a deep drag on his cigarette, running his fingers through his hair tiredly. He glanced at Roxas out of the corner of his eye. "Where the hell's your jacket, Roxas? You're gonna get sick."
Roxas held Axel's keys out wordlessly. Axel's eyes traveled from the keys to Roxas's face – with a sigh, he pulled Roxas into a hug, resting his chin on Roxas's head, pulling his fingers through the younger boy's hair. Roxas closed his eyes as he leaned into Axel's chest, wrapping his arms around the redhead's shoulders. Axel held him silently as the gentle strains of Demyx's guitar filtered through the glass.
Namine leaned her elbows on the lunch table, resting her chin in her laced fingers. "So Sora's coming to visit over break?" she asked, smiling. Roxas nodded, poking at the suspicious lump of something the school was trying to pass off as meat that was crouching on his plate. Hayner glanced up from his own questionable meal, grinning.
"Sora's coming? When were you gonna tell us, Roxas?" he demanded, crossing his arms as he glared at his friend in mock indignation. Roxas rolled his eyes.
"He just called yesterday," he grumbled. "Gimme a break, Hayner. He's coming in the fifteenth." Hayner's grin widened.
"So he'll be here for the Struggle tournament?" When Roxas nodded, Hayner smacked a fist into his palm. "You've got to get him to enter, Roxas. I've been dying to fight him since I met him." Roxas snorted.
"You met him when we were six, Hayner," he sighed. "Besides, I thought you wanted to fight me." Hayner smirked.
"Well obviously I'll wipe the floor with you in the first round." The others laughed as Roxas scowled.
"One of you will probably win," Pence chuckled, reaching for his pudding cup.
"Unless Sora fights as well as Roxas," Olette cut in, tilting her head to the side in a contemplative manner. The others turned and looked at Roxas expectantly. He shrugged.
"He's pretty good," he admitted. "And I think he's been training with Riku – that guy was always insanely good in a fight."
"That settles it," Hayner insisted. "You've got to make him enter, Roxas." Roxas shrugged again, toying with his fork. The bell rang, and they gathered their garbage and trickled out of the lunchroom, Hayner insisting once more that Roxas try to get Sora to enter the tournament before he left for his next class. Roxas felt a gentle tug at his shirt – when he looked back, Namine was smiling up at him.
"Do you wanna come over after school?" Roxas grinned.
"Sure."
"Uh, Namine?"
"Roxas, I told you, don't move."
Roxas fought the sudden urge to scratch his nose, silently promising himself that as soon as he was allowed to move, he was going to shake the feeling back into his arms. This was not what he'd expected when Namine had asked him to come over.
The petite blonde had practically dragged him into her room, where her easel was already set up; with a few short words and adjustments, Roxas had found himself in an entirely uncomfortable pose as Namine retreated back behind her easel, sweetly asking him to hold the pose "for just another minute, Roxas." Roxas felt the increasingly irresistible urge to sneeze.
After what felt like an eternity, but what the wall clock said was no more than twenty minutes, Namine hopped down from her stool, tucking her hair back behind her ear. "Thanks, Roxas," she smiled. "I was having so much trouble with the proportions."
Roxas scowled at her as he tried to rub the circulation back into his arms. "You should warn me when you're going to make me pose," he muttered. Namine smiled gently.
"But you wouldn't come over if you knew I was going to make you pose," she sighed. Roxas's scowl melted into a grudging smile as she stepped forward and linked her arm with his, reaching up and pecking him on the cheek. "Besides, I always feed you after I put you through that," she added, pulling him back out of her room and into the kitchen.
Roxas allowed himself to be seated in a chair, a sandwich appearing in front of him. He watched with an amused air as Namine flitted through the kitchen, gathering ingredients and cooking utensils onto the counter. "So how are things with Axel?" Namine asked quietly. She glanced over her shoulder when Roxas didn't answer, pausing as she took in his expression. "Roxas?"
"I don't want to talk about it," Roxas mumbled, rubbing at his temple tiredly. Namine nodded silently, turning back to her preparations.
"So are you going to meet Sora at the airport?" She stiffened when Roxas wrapped his arms around her. "Roxas?"
"How do you put up with me?" he muttered into her hair. She shrugged as she pulled back, smiling up at him as she brushed a strand of hair out of his face.
"Someone has to," she said, laughing softly. Roxas grinned and drew her into another hug before he pulled away.
"Yeah, Cloud's letting me leave school early to meet him," he mumbled, returning to their earlier conversation. "Oh, and Sora's bringing Riku and Kairi with him." Namine turned and frowned as she wiped a hand across her forehead, leaving a streak of flour above her eye.
"Will there be room for all of them at your apartment?" Roxas shook his head, trying to stifle a laugh.
"No, Cloud got them reservations at the Highwind. Sora wants me to come and stay with them while they're here," he added, grinning. Namine made a distracted noise in the back of her throat as she poured something into a measuring cup. After she'd added it to the mixing bowl, she glanced over her shoulder at him.
"Do you think Cloud will let you?" she asked softly. Roxas shrugged.
"I don't know," he admitted. "But…he's been a lot less uptight lately. He didn't even freak out at me when I forgot to call about missing dinner the other day." Namine raised her eyebrows in silent question. Roxas shook his head. "I don't know – he's just a lot more relaxed since –" Roxas's eyes widened. "Since he talked to Axel," he breathed. He glanced up at Namine, shocked when he saw she was smiling softly at him. "What?"
"Roxas, you always draw away when I try to talk to you about Axel," she sighed. "But even Cloud can tell – you're the only one who can't see." Roxas frowned at her.
"See what?" he demanded. Namine only smiled at him and turned back to her mixing bowl. Before Roxas could repeat his question, she'd turned the conversation to the Struggle tournament, asking if he thought Sora would really participate. She filled the air with idle chatter as she spooned the batter onto two cookie sheets, coming to sit next to him as she waited for the timer to sound, laughing softly when Roxas reached up and wiped the flour off her face.
Roxas tried to return to his question, but Namine could be just as stubborn as he could; she only smiled softly and turned the conversation again, until he slumped in his seat, defeated. Laughing softly, Namine scraped a dozen slightly burnt cookies into a bag for him, ushering him out the door with a final parting shot: "You're allowed to be happy, Roxas. Stop thinking about it so hard."
Roxas scowled at her closed door before he turned and began the walk back to his own apartment. Demyx waved him down as he passed Nocturne, the musician's eyes lighting up at the sight of the bagged cookies in Roxas's hand.
"Are those for me?" he grinned, stuffing his hands into his sleeves. Roxas lifted an eyebrow as the musician shivered.
"Why are you out here?" he asked incredulously. "You're gonna get frostbite." Demyx only rolled his eyes.
"Because," he groaned, "I make almost as much out here as I do in there." He jerked his head at the café. Roxas grinned, swinging the cookies from his fingers.
"Tell ya what," he smirked. "Buy me a cup of coffee and I'll split the cookies with you. But you have to put the guitar up for the day." Demyx frowned at him, but Roxas only cocked an eyebrow. The musician shivered again.
"All right," he mumbled, lifting the strap over his head. Roxas waited until Demyx had his guitar back in the case, then they entered the café. Demyx wrapped his chapped hands around a steaming cup of coffee, grinning widely as Roxas dumped the cookies out onto a plate, the younger boy grumbling when the musician stuffed three in his mouth at once.
Roxas was only mildly surprised when Axel showed up, the redhead poking the younger boy to the side so he could slide into the booth beside him, smacking Demyx's hands away from the cookies and stealing a few for himself. Axel threw his arm around Roxas's shoulders, giving him a quick squeeze as he traded insults with Demyx. As he listened to them bicker, Roxas propped his chin in his hand and grinned in amused exasperation.
