Shorter chapter this time around. Sorry for the delay!
Chapter 8
"That wasn't anything Roxas. It didn't happen."
"Yeah it did. Even if you want to pretend it didn't you like me too otherwise you wouldn't have kissed back," his hands continued resting on Axel's shoulders.
A hand went up to its owner's mouth and the red head got the universal expression for 'I'm gonna puke' on his face. Roxas didn't have time to ask before Axel bolted from the room. Without any support he fell backward onto his bed, almost smashing his head off the window sill. What the hell? He recovered fairly quickly due to his Struggle reflexes then chased after his tutor reaching the bathroom apparently just after the 'action'. The door closed with an audible 'bang'. He looks really…vulnerable hunched over like that. Instead of being afraid of what touching him would do Roxas knelt and gathered the red locks into a ponytail. Once when Olette had gotten the flu-yet still insisted on coming to school-he'd perfected the technique of holding long hair back.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, sorry. I kind of puke when I get too nervous," had his face not already gone deathly pale it would've been the colour of a fire engine.
"…You're so uncool."
Axel wiped his mouth and turned to look at Roxas, "Sorry I don't live up to your standards."
Did I just make him feel stupid? No wonder you've got no boyfriend Roxas… he stared at the blue patterned tile.
"I'm kidding," the college student flashed a shaky smile.
"Oh. Want a drink of water?" the blonde stood up to get it without waiting for an answer.
He turned on the tap and filled the cup standing on the back of the sink next to the toothbrushes. When he handed over the drink Axel's fingers closed over his until Roxas let go.
"Why do you always wear gloves?"
The colour started returning to the man's cheeks and he shrugged, "cold hands."
"Oh. that's not gonna happen every time…right? The puking I mean."
"You say it like there'll be a next time Roxas. I told you I can't."
He tried not to pout-though that tended to be his default expression when it came to Axel. His lips turned down in a frown. In a way he wanted to cry but that wasn't exactly fair and besides, the last thing he wanted was for Axel to think he was a kid. Adults only cried in movies.
"Whatever. I have to study so you can go."
"Okay."
Axel stood up making the height difference between them even more astronomical. If only I was taller…then maybe he wouldn't treat me like a kid.
"Wait. You're not going to avoid me again…right?" it sounded so needy and pathetic but he didn't care. If Axel was going to run again he wanted to at least know so he could track him down.
"I can't."
What's that supposed to mean?! Because you're my tutor or because you like me? Roxas didn't walk him to the door or go on downstairs at all. For now he was content listening to his CD and wondering what buying it for him had meant.
~**~
My brain is fried…the blonde stared blankly at the chalkboard without taking down what Ms. Gainsborough was writing on it. Mr. Leonhart wasn't kidding when he told us to study…I wonder if Axel will get fired if I fail… He ran a hand over his spikes with a sigh. Which was immediately caught by Olette. She opened her mouth but he just shook his head and it closed again. Hayner and Pence continued talking about the new game they wanted to buy apparently unaware of their surroundings.
His eyes stayed on the scenery just beyond the window. Mall, skyscraper, college. Wait. College?
"Hey Olette, do you know what school that is?"
"The one we just passed? Destiny Island College. How come?"
He shrugged, "just wondering."
She nodded but one of her eyebrows rose ever so slightly. Roxas didn't reply. So I could just get off and go to where he lives. If I could figure that out anyway. He let his frown deepen-but how can I do that?
~~**~~
"So you actually kissed? Holy cow what'd you do!?"
"I almost threw up on him."
Demyx bit his bottom lip, "that's not very romantic."
"It's not supposed to be romantic, got it memorized?"
"What's the big deal? It's only 8 years," the music major said, his face appearing between his knees as he constructed the mullet-mohawk hybrid.
"Only. Ever heard of jail Demyx? Cause that's where I'll be going if it happens again got it-"
"But he likes you. He's the one chasing after you so…it's not your fault!" the blonde stood upright again then tested the stability of his hairdo with his hands.
"Tell it to the judge. Or better yet his mom."
"Why would you tell the judge's mom?"
"You know what? Ask your 'snuggle bun'-he's a law major so he can tell you in terms your pea sized brain can compute how fucked I would be if I went out with Roxas!"
Demyx's bottom lip quivered, "you're mean!"
The shorter guy quickly fled the room however when the threats to his hair, sitar and person began. Yeah, right. Only 8 years. He rolled over and stared at the blank wall a little more than a foot from his face. I should get up. Told Marluxia I'd help him with his stupid flowers so he'd tell me what Roxas said on the phone. In a single movement he managed to fling himself out of bed onto the floor. After pulling on a pair of jeans and a DIC t-shirt he threw his hair into a ponytail without combing it. He didn't say I had to look good. His teeth were brushed in the dorm bathroom and he took a piss with his toothbrush still hanging out of his mouth like half the others did. The ones who actually bothered anyway. Finally he pulled on his gloves and one of the many black jackets from his wardrobe.
His car sat in the school parking lot collecting dust and a few parking fines until he started it up. Probably could've walked. But he drove instead arriving in about 10 minutes at his destination.
Had the house belonged to him Marluxia probably would've painted it pink or had an enormous rose garden out front. Thank god for student housing. He parked out front seeing as Marluxia didn't own a car then walked up the walkway.
Of course it was Larxene who answered the doorbell. Like a cockroach doorman. He threw an annoyed expression on his face though his real emotion was more like 'damn I hate you'. Why Marluxia had taken his sloppy seconds he didn't know. She's not even that good looking…but he could tolerate her, like Zexion, in small doses. As long as she didn't talk too much.
"What're you here for?"
"Gardening. Or didn't your darling Marly tell you?" his hostility had already started rising between them unsprisingly. Even the way she leaned on the doorway made his irritated frown deeper.
"Just let me through so I can get this over with."
After a glaring fight she stepped aside and let him enter the plant infested house. Flower pots stacked by the door, pink flowers in vases on tables and gardening supplies piled wherever there was room. the walls hadn't been painted because the landlord had apparently gone on an hour long tirade about how if he found any paint on the walls he'd sue them all.
He found the rose haired man in the tiny backyard-as if he'd be anywhere else. Having "delivered" their guest Larxene turned back to go do whatever ex-girlfriends did with their spare time.
"Well, you did show up after all."
Axel descended the back stairs and moved down into the garden being careful not to step on any of the flowers only because he didn't want his legs chopped off with gardening shears. Marluxia handed him a trowel.
"So how did it go? With Roxas?"
"What do you care?" he stabbed the sharp part of the small shovel into the earth with some difficulty. I wouldn't be surprised if it snowed soon.
"Why shouldn't I? Besides it's not every day your friend goes after a kid."
Nosey bastard. He kept his eyes on the other man's face, eyebrows in an arc towards his nose. The pink haired guy smiled-more like smirked and pulled a weed out from the earth.
"What? Don't tell me something happened?"
"He kissed me."
For whatever reason that made the botany student laugh, "oh dear. Whatever did you do?"
"Marluxia don't piss me off."
"Oh, I'm making you angry?" he flicked a lock of hair over his shoulder.
Axel rolled his eyes, "all you need to know is that if you talk to him again…"
"Threats again. Oh dear, what a violent man you are Axel."
He glared but didn't bother beating the crap out of the flower fanatic-someone would do it for him before long. Why the hell am I even here? You can't plant anything at this time anyway. Marluxia had begun wrapping sacks around the small shrubs on the other side of the yard. And there's no way I'm doing that. Should probably call Demyx before Xigbar gets around to telling me how 'totally harsh I was dude'. For now though he had to chop the rose bushes down to little stubs-I've got nothing better to do anyway.
~~**~~
Namine had joined them at the Usual Spot, wedging herself in between Olette and the arm rest. Good thing she didn't try sitting next to me. Hayner currently occupied himself with throwing darts while chatting to Pence about video games yet again. The girls and Roxas sat in silence mostly because they wouldn't be able to hear themselves over Hayner's loud voice. Fine with me, it was awkward enough when Hayner invited Namine here… It almost made him wish he was still grounded so he could avoid the girl completely. She hadn't so much as glanced at him since their 'date'-not that he was at all eager to talk about it. in fact the only person, other than his friends , who he did want to talk to was apparently on the phone with other people all the time. Or at least for the past couple days. And you said you wouldn't avoid me. Well too bad because you have to come over tomorrow.
Only he didn't. No Axel in the living room or den or his room. The blonde probably could've strangled someone. In fact nobody was home. Sora had left a note saying he'd gone out on the kitchen table over the one left by their mother saying there'd been an emergency. What kind of emergency?! A fashion emergency, a health emergency?! He texted Axel-because it was cheaper than calling. Where are you?
Can't come. Sorry.
Why?!
Something came up. Not avoiding you. Settling health ins. Stuff.
Call me.
His phone rang. You're being so obedient…kind of freaky…
"What's going on?"
"Demyx broke his arm trying to tackle Xigbar."
"Idiot I…" he muttered.
"Was worried? I'm flattered. But nothing's wrong with me other than wanting to kill myself," he could hear Demyx wailing dramatically in the background.
"Did they cut his arm off or just put a cast on it…"
Axel laughed, "I think he's convinced they amputated."
"The way he's yelling…"
"Ew, they're being sickening again Roxy. Take him to your room Xigbar, I'm sitting right here!"
"Sora and Riku do that all the time-it's so gross," he shook his head to rid himself of the disturbing pictures cropping up in his mind.
"Those two are bad, I wanted to gag the entire time we were at WildKat."
"Me too. They always come to my house too. If I wanted to see it I'd go watch a chick flick," the blonde stuck a finger down his throat miming puking until he realized Axel couldn't see it.
"Those are Demyx's favourite kind, got it memorized?"
"Sora's too. He watches Pretty Woman every year on his birthday and cries about it."
"They're so similar it's pretty annoying."
"Meet me somewhere," he blurted out, voicing a random whim that probably wouldn't get listened to.
"I can't right now. But next week okay? Bring one of your friends or something."
So we're not alone together. Asshole. His face cracked into a too wide smile. "Sure," he said through gritted teeth, "I'll bring Olette. You should bring Demyx."
"Demyx? …Well…I guess if he's free…"
Perfect. If everything goes as planned we won't have a chaperone for long. He almost felt the need to cackle or arrange his fingers in the evil genius steeple but didn't. I'll save that for when my plan is accomplished. They agreed on a meeting day of Wednesday at 4:00pm at the bus terminal in front of the mall. The meeting was strictly for studying purposes only of course. Yeah, right. Studying. He hung up the phone. Victory will be mine Axel.
LOL Axel goes to DIC. That was totally unintentional by the way-I didn't notice until I wrote it then looked back and was like "HA HA HA HAAAAAA DIC!".
WildKat is the name of the coffee shop Axel, Roxas, Sora and Riku went to in the previous chapter. It's named after the coffee shop in WEWY XD Mr. Hanekoma owns it-I wanna try and sneak him into this fic ha ha.
And Roxas is an evil genius apparently :'D
Lately I've been having trouble writing this fic simply because my mind is on other things(mainly exams _). But also the fact that they're starting to get grossly out of character. I stopped quite a few times and thought to myself "what the hell are you doing? They don't act like this in the game AT ALL! WTF! YOU SUCK. All I have is a beginning and characters that are quickly deviating from their original selves-Axel in particular. I didn't want there to be a case of "Draco in leather pants" going on but gah, he doesn't feel like himself at all T_T I promise I'll make him act cool soon! ^^;;; I hate this chapter…
