From Me to You
Chapter 9
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story they belong respectfully to Square Enix.
Music: "Lead Me" by Sistar
A/N: Big news, I'll be going back to school September 3rd! D; yeah... so don't be surprised if I happen to disappear. I usually reply back to my reviews, but lately I haven't had the time so please forgive me! From the bottom of my heart, I am thankful for everyone's kind words and I'm going to reply to the reviews again once I get things settled down since its the last few days of summer and everyone wants a piece of me before I return to school xAx
If you've already forgotten then I'll just remind you guys again that I'm planning bonus chapters. If there is a specific part of the story or focus that you want, you're all welcome to leave me a prompt in a review or just send me a private message (: Yeah, so there you go!
Also, this chapter became incredibly huge so I've extended the story by one more chapter, which means 4 instead of 3 left. Yay for the story being longer but oh no because updates will be slowing down since I have classes coming up T.T I hope you guys can bear with me on this…
Enjoy chapter 9 you guys!
o0o0o0o
Isa sat next to Lea on top of the monkey bars silently. It was recess and for the majority of their limited playtime, the little redhead had been staring off into space. There was no doubt on Isa's mind that the other boy was distracted by something and as his best friend; he felt that it was his right to know what was causing Lea's usual enthusiasm to wane so suddenly.
"Lea. Earth to Lea Strife." Isa said, waving his hand in front of the other's face.
The little redhead made no response. Isa found his friend's lack of reaction odd and he scrunched his nose with a bit of annoyance. Although Isa was a boy who possessed a rather splendid degree of patience for someone his age, he had very little tolerance when it came down to Lea which resulted in him giving the redhead's left ear a firm yank. It did just the trick and within seconds Lea was hounding loudly for him to let go.
"Isa that hurts!" Lea complained; rubbing his ear the instant his friend released him from his clutches.
"Then don't ignore me." Isa stated. "What's going on with you lately?"
"What do you mean?" Lea mumbled.
"You've been acting strange since Wednesday, or at least since my neighbor started showing up here with your father to pick you up." The boy said, his head tilting to the side in wonder.
"Oh, so you noticed?" Lea replied quietly all of a sudden.
His voice reminded Isa of a timid mouse. There was no need for him to feel so small after being confronted. "Of course I noticed, you're my best friend Lea and you can tell me anything. Now, what's wrong? Is something bothering you?"
Lea shifted his weight back and forth as he sat on the bars. Gripping the steel pipes around his fingers, he threw his head back to stare directly up at the graying skies. "I guess something is bothering me…"
"Like what?" Isa asked.
"My daddy and Axel."
"Did they do something to you?"
"No."
"Then what?"
Lea began to swing his legs into the air. "I feel like I haven't been spending enough time with my daddy anymore because Axel is always there."
Isa arched his brow at him. "You don't like Axel then?"
"No, I like him." Lea said quickly. "But he doesn't give daddy and me space. I want to spend time with my daddy without Axel being there so much." He frowned. It was true though; the older man was around them all the time. Ever since Axel showed up on Monday with his father, the week went from him having lunch with Roxas to going to the babysitter's and waiting for his uncles to pick him up to having lunch with Roxas and Axel at the office and being taken home at six and having the older redhead over for dinner. He was even taking over during his bedtime stories for goodness sakes! Despite being able to be within his father's presence more so than usual, he felt like Axel was intruding on them most of the time, and Roxas was letting him.
It was a very sudden change and though he didn't mind it the first time, Lea was starting to wonder if this was going to become a daily routine. The older man came out of nowhere and was invasive when it came to his personal time with his father and uncles. Just thinking about it made the boy puff out his cheeks. There was something going on between them and it wasn't just because Axel was his father's boss. He was sure of it. It was then that he had a thought and dread immediately erupted on his brooding countenance. "Wait! Do you think it's possible that my daddy and Axel are dating?!" Lea exclaimed suddenly.
Isa's jaw dropped. "Huh?..." It was very obvious how taken by surprise the other boy was as he stared at his friend with wide green eyes. "I—I don't know, maybe?" But Isa's words were not taken into consideration though and he went unheard.
"That must be why he's always around! Isa!" Lea whipped his head around; grabbing his friend by the shoulders he shook him frantically. "What do I do?!"
"Lea! Stop shaking me, you're going to make me fall down!" Isa shot back as he attempted to pry the other boy's hands off. "There may be another explanation! It isn't wise to jump to conclusions!"
"B-but…" He whined. "I don't want him and my daddy to date! It'll mean my daddy won't have time for me!"
Isa finally managed to push the redhead off from his persons. "Lea you're overreacting." He said. "It could be something else."
"Like what?" He sniffled.
"My father said that you and Axel look alike so maybe…" His voice trailed off a little but before he could say anything more, Lea was instantly glaring daggers at him.
"No! I already have a daddy and it's not Axel!"
Isa sighed. There was no use arguing with him, especially when his mind was made up. He remembered earlier in the week; on Tuesday while he was distracting Lea for Roxas and his father that the two adults were discussing something important. He didn't catch the conversation, but he recalled his father making a few unconscious remarks about Axel being an irresponsible parent. Roxas defended him of course and it didn't take much for him to figure out the rest. Though Isa had been a little shocked at first, he understood the complexity of the situation regardless. All he was waiting for now was for Lea to learn the truth himself but it looked like it was going to take some work since he wasn't too keen on accepting his words at the moment.
"I'm sorry Lea, I wasn't thinking. Can you forgive me?"
Lea stared at his friend with a blank expression. He wasn't quick to give Isa a reply and instead he looked straight down at the ground below them, his green eyes studying the abundance of raw bark chips that littered the entire playground. All around them, he could hear the other children laughing, running and playing. He should be having fun too, just like them but his mind was on other things—things that were beginning to make his heartache the more he pondered on the topic silently.
Isa grew concerned at his friend's silence. This wasn't like Lea at all. If he was upset, the redhead would normally mask his sadness so as not to worry others but now, it seemed like he didn't have the energy to do even that. Was it his fault Isa wondered? Feeling the guilt rise within the pits of his stomach, he looked down dejectedly at the ground just the same as Lea.
It was going to be a long day.
"I'm sorry, Lea." Isa said one last time before Ms. Farron and her helper Vanille announced that it was time for them to return to class.
o0o0o0o
"I almost forgot!" Roxas pulled out an envelope from one of the pockets in his suitcase. Checking it for any signs of damage, he found none and handed it off to Axel with ease.
"What's this?" Axel questioned, turning the envelope this way and that.
"An invitation to Lea's birthday, he's turning five on the tenth which is next week. Have you already forgotten?"
"N-no! Of course I haven't forgotten!" Axel exclaimed nervously. The slight hesitation in his voice was enough for Roxas' suspensions to arise and he gave the redhead a hard look. It made Axel shift nervously on his desk and before long he looked down at his lap in shame. "Okay, it slipped my mind."
"I thought so." Roxas muttered and crossed his arms. "It's on a Saturday, do you think you can make it?"
"I'm supposed to have lunch that day with my old man but it's Lea's birthday, and I'm not willing to let four missed birthdays turn into five. I'm going, just need to reschedule with Genesis and hopefully he won't be too angry with me." Axel said as he shoved his hand into the depths of his pocket to pull out his handy dandy PDA.
Roxas watched him with a ghost of a smile floating across his lips. The speed of which the redhead was texting impressed him, as well as the burning determination in his eyes. He was glad Axel cared about Lea; it made him remarkably happy that he was putting in so much effort to spend time with him. Not many people were willing to go through the trouble and he was grateful that Axel was giving it his all.
Tonight was going to be their dinner/movie night with Lea. Roxas had been looking forward to it all week and he made sure to tell Cloud and Leon repeatedly to be out of the apartment for the entire evening so that Axel, Lea and he could have the place all to themselves. It was almost like a date, but to Roxas it was going to be ten times better, he was sure of it. He tried his hardest not to make himself look too excited but according to Cloud, he failed at controlling himself and mentally he would dance around in his head at the prospect. His excitement showed on his face too and whenever Cloud managed to catch him off guard, the older Strife always had one or two things to say about it.
"About tonight…" Roxas brought up. "What should we make for dinner?"
"Well, what do you feel like eating?" Axel asked after double checking his message and sending it off. Laying the device flat on his assistant's desk, he crouched forward a little, looking down at the blond as he crossed one leg and laid it on top of the other.
It'd been quite some time since he last witnessed the predatory glint in the redhead's green eyes. Roxas quivered under the older man's intense gaze, whining quietly under his breath as Axel inched closer towards him. His voice felt stuck, and he was tempted to reply with the word, 'you' as a sort of joke but he was sure the older man would take it literally and Roxas feared for the worst if that were the case. So he decided not to say anything at all. Instead, he masked his apprehensive countenance with what he thought looked like an expression of contemplation. As long as it looked like he was thinking about what kind of dish to make, Roxas felt safe enough but the longer Axel kept his eyes on him the more he felt his resolve begin to falter.
'Hamburgers? Hotdogs? Barbeque? Potato Salad? Wait, that's a side!' The blonde's mind screamed.
"Roxas?" Axel said slowly, the blonde's name rolling off his tongue delicately.
Hearing the sound of his name being called, Roxas hesitantly lifted his gaze up, meeting the other's mesmerizing stare. The redhead looked composed all of a sudden. The glint was still there but it had simmered down; changed into something else and Roxas couldn't explain what he was seeing now but he wanted to know what it was. He wanted to know what was going through the other's mind. He couldn't stop himself from leaning up to the other's face and just as their noses touched; Roxas halted his advances and squeezed his eyes shut. Was this it? Was Axel feeling the same way he wondered?
Axel had been vaguely aware from the start how receptive Roxas was becoming towards him lately. It was pleasing in more ways than one and he found himself attracted to the blond even more than before. He wanted to dive in head first, it was how he normally did things but he'd been telling himself repeatedly to take it slowly as of late. It was the right thing to do after all but from the way the blond was responding to him now made it incredibly difficult for him to think let alone control himself. They were in a delicate situation after all and things needed to be approached carefully.
As he watched Roxas make the first move, similar to the incident in his car, Axel was more than certain that he was screwed. Logic and reasoning be damned, if Roxas Strife was going to close the gap between them, Axel was going to cross that bridge without another thought!
Just as the two of them were drawing close together, the sound of Axel's PDA vibrating loudly against his desk brought them out of their trance with a gasp. Axel growled afterwards with a curse or two at having their moment ruined but Roxas felt otherwise. He'd been saved by the bell and he released a short sigh of relief as he swerved in his chair to face the wide window while the redhead next to him was busy reading his new text message.
It'd been a close call for the both of them that's for sure.
Skimming through the text on his screen, Axel glared down at the device hatefully. Just as he'd thought, Genesis wasn't happy. He could already imagine the look on the man's face and though he was sorry to disappoint his old man, Axel's growing responsibility for Lea was his top priority aside from the company. He was still young and in his prime; he didn't see a point in participating in his father's game of playing matchmaker for him. An argument was bound to happen soon, Axel was sure of it but he didn't care—his father and Angeal could go to hell he thought to himself.
The fierce look that Axel displayed made Roxas frown in concern; something was definitely up and if he could, he wanted to be of some use to Axel other than being his son's adopted father and his assistant. Pushing his chair back, he stood up straight and tried to see what the redhead was glaring at since he looked absorbed by the message. But once Axel felt his presence, he moved his PDA away from his view and glowered at him.
"This isn't something you should get involved in." Axel said, as he slipped the device back into his pocket. Hopping off of his assistant's desk, he glanced at his watch briefly and hummed. "I believe it's time for us to pick Lea up. Shall we go?"
"Y-yeah." Roxas replied, his mind still reeling in on the redhead's unsavory attitude about the message. He felt rather put off now. If Axel wasn't going to talk about it than fine but he didn't have to give him such an attitude, Roxas thought to himself as his lips formed a pout.
Gathering up his things, Roxas looked up to find Axel already waiting for him by the door. He was anxious to go; there was no mistake about it. Packing up his suitcase quickly, he hurried over to Axel's side and opened the door before the redhead could wrap his hand around the knob for them.
Axel was a little stunned, but seeing that the door was opened for him, he shrugged and went on ahead with Roxas following steadily behind him.
"Look, I'm sorry about… you know, a minute or two ago but it's nothing to worry about okay?" Axel said. 'Nothing to worry about yet.' He thought to himself. "Maybe later I'll tell you, but right now I don't want to think about it."
"It's fine, I get it. I shouldn't get involved if it doesn't concern me. However, if it does start to bother you, I'm here to listen."
"Heh, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for your understanding Roxy." Axel said as he smiled softly at the blonde's offer.
"You're welcome…" He replied quietly. "But, you are coming to Lea's birthday right?" He asked carefully.
"Yes." Axel said firmly. "Regardless of what Genesis says, I'm going to be there, I promise."
Finding themselves standing in front of the elevators, Roxas didn't bother stopping himself from staring at his boss so blatantly with wide blue eyes. It was rude, he knew that but something told him that there was more going on that Axel wasn't telling him. In any case, he figured that he probably wasn't going to get very much out of him now but he felt certain that with some time his superior would break and tell him eventually. At least he was going to be there to celebrate their boy's fifth birthday, that was what mattered the most to Roxas and a smile grew across his lips just thinking about it.
Once they heard that all too familiar ding, the doors to the elevator opened and the pair stepped inside. Standing on Axel's right, Roxas looked down at his feet and then took a deep breath. "By the way, I think spaghetti would be nice. For dinner, I mean." He said, causing the redhead to give him a side glance.
Seeing him smile shyly, Axel couldn't help but chuckle as he watched the doors close shut. "Alright, then spaghetti it is. With meatballs and garlic bread too."
o0o0o0o
The moment Roxas walked through the doors of Lea's classroom, the little redhead bolted from where he stood waiting for him next to Isa and Saix by the cubbies. He hugged his father tightly around his legs, burying his face into the fabric of his dark slacks. Roxas was more than a little stunned at first by the boy's sudden actions and he kneeled down to the four year olds level. Combing his fingers carefully into the boy's thick red hair, Roxas noticed the furrowing of his son's brow and became worried. When Lea looked up to meet his gaze, the boy raised his arms up and stood on the tips of his toes, wanting for his father to lift him up.
"Do you want me to carry you?" Roxas asked with a soft smile.
Lea nodded his head yes with an obvious pout on his face. He was getting impatient.
Cupping the side of the little redhead's face, Roxas brushed his thumb gently against his cheek. It wasn't difficult for him to take notice of the gloomy little cloud that hung over his son's head and it caused his worry to deepen the more he stared at the boy's dejected form.
Feeling himself finally being lifted up, Lea instantly wrapped his little arms around his father's neck tightly and proceeded to press and hide his face into the crook of the blonde's neck. He wanted so desperately to feel safe again and he didn't want to think about the assumptions he came to earlier. As Roxas turned around and began to leave the room, Lea peeked over his father's shoulder only to wave goodbye to his best friend. He knew by now that Axel could be found waiting for them outside the building and once he caught a glimpse of the man's vibrant red hair, he hid his face again and clung even tighter to Roxas than before.
"Hey little guy!" Axel said rather excitedly but Lea didn't look up at him. Tilting his head with a bit of confusion, Axel looked to Roxas for an explanation of some sorts but the blond merely shook his head, leaving the redhead frowning slightly. "Is something wrong Lea?" He asked, his hand reaching out to touch the boy's shoulder.
Lea gasped from the older man's touch and within seconds, he tried to shake off the redhead's hand. His grasp around Roxas became a near death grip and he quivered in his arms as small tears began to collect at the edges of his eyes. "No! No! No!" He wailed suddenly.
"L-Lea!" Roxas struggled to keep the boy steady. "What's wrong?"
"No! No! No!" The four year old repeated loudly.
With some help from Axel, the two adults led their son over to the nearest bench just outside of the preschool's premises. Lea still clung as tightly as ever to Roxas and he refused to give the older redhead a second glance though it did pain Axel to be ignored by him. His father's touch against his back was soothing and he sniffled quietly while still hiding his sad expression from the both of them. They probably couldn't understand him and he wanted to cry even more just thinking about it but he knew that he wouldn't, at least not with Axel around. Only Roxas was ever allowed to see him in such a vulnerable state.
Seeing how much of an effect Axel was having on Lea, it was easy for Roxas to determine that the cause of his son's upset was the older man himself. He didn't understand why but judging by how unresponsive Lea was being towards the both of them, he knew that it would be better to send the older redhead ahead of them even though it was easy for him to predict that Axel would be saddened by his request. Still it had to be done if he wanted to get to the bottom of things.
"Hey, Axel do you think you could pick up some food for us? I'll meet you back at the office and then the three of us can have lunch together, okay?" Roxas smiled up at him but Axel's façade instantly crossed between a mixture of hurt and understanding. He knew he was being sent away.
With the wretched emotions swimming deep inside of him, Axel was reluctant to do as he was told. But one long glance down at Lea told him that it was for the best and he sighed, knowing in the back of his mind that whatever was going on with the boy was probably his fault. "S-sure, I can do that." He said in a soft murmur. "Is Chinese takeout fine?"
Roxas nodded his head. "Yeah, just like on Monday. Oh, and don't forget extra napkins this time."
"Alright, I'll see you two in a bit." Axel said, getting up slowly. Looking down at Roxas briefly, his eyes fell back on Lea and he reached down to give the boy's fiery hair a quick ruffle. "See you soon, tiger."
Lea didn't say anything though and he shrank back from Axel's touch yet again. Hearing the older redhead sigh miserably, he waited for him to leave and once his footsteps were out of earshot he looked up to find Roxas frowning down at him. Lea suddenly felt ten times worse under his father's disappointed gaze and he felt guilty for treating the other man so poorly when all he was trying to do was be nice and make him happy in every way possible. Within seconds Lea's lips began to tremble and a fresh abundance of new tears began to roll off his cheeks.
Placing a hand behind his son's head, Roxas pressed the boy's face back down against his chest as he started to rock his body from side to side. Lea whimpered loudly and he hummed quietly, coddling him with kisses from his hairline to his chin as he smoothed down the short spikes of red hair that framed his face with a gentle hand.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine." Roxas sang quietly into his ear. "You make me happy when skies are gray. You never know dear, how much I love you. So please don't take my sunshine away."
His song continued on in a soft hum as a moment of silence settled upon them. Lea cuddled as closely as possible into his father's lap, crying shakily into his shoulder. With well-practiced patience, Roxas waited out the storm and with time his rocking eventually subsided as well as the four year olds weeping. All that was left was a whimper or two from Lea but Roxas didn't care so long as his son was able to release all of his frustrations out one way or another.
When Lea was finally able to compose himself again, if only just; he lifted his gaze up hesitantly, his vision still blurry. "A-Am I your only sunshine?" Lea asked with a broken voice.
"My one and only, Lea." Roxas replied, his lips pressing against the redhead's hairline once more.
"What about A-Axel?"
"Axel?" Roxas tilted his head.
"Is he going to be your sunshine too?" Lea asked, looking down nervously.
Hearing the innocent question, Roxas found himself staring off to the side as he took a sharp intake of the cold winter air. When he turned back to look into his son's face, he saw a mixture of fear and confusion in the boy's eyes. He was insecure and very much afraid; it was easy for Roxas to tell. He had a vague guess as to why though, but he didn't want to just to conclusions and settled on asking the boy instead. "What makes you believe that?"
Lea kept his gaze lowered, lips turning up into another frown that sat on the edge of trembling again into another cry session. His reason's seemed rather childish—selfish to a degree but it made him apprehensive and scared. That was what mattered and he hoped that his father would understand more than anything about how he felt. "Well, h-he's always around a-and, and it sometimes feels like he's taking you away from me…" He finally admitted.
"Oh Lea…"
"I don't want him to take you away from me!" He cried out loud this time, causing Roxas' eyes to widen at the realization.
Roxas held him close again and cooed. It explained a lot now that he thought about it. Lea felt neglected and scared of losing him. It made sense to Roxas and he felt the shame wash over him instantly. He should have paid more attention he told himself as he continued to coo softly. "He's not taking me away. No one can take me away from you, Lea. You're my sunshine." He chuckled into his hair. "And I promised you, didn't I? That I would never leave you and I won't." He said, pulling back a little so that he could press their foreheads together.
"Never ever, ever?" Lea asked, whimpering again as he began to cry once more.
"Never, ever, ever, ever, ever." Roxas replied, nuzzling into the boy's button nose. "After your birthday, I'll tell you a secret okay? And then, hopefully you'll understand."
Lea's green hues lit up suddenly despite a few tears glistening at the edges of his eyes. "A secret?" He asked.
"Yes, a secret." Roxas placed a finger to his lips. "But you have to promise me two things though."
"What? What is it?"
"First, when we get back, you have to apologize to Axel. He was very hurt by how you treated him." He watched Lea nod his head slowly. "And second, I will tell you after your birthday so you've got to wait a couple of days. Do you understand?"
Lea replayed the words over and over in his head several times. He was anxious about having to apologize but he knew he would do it regardless. The waiting was also possible but now that Roxas had put the thought of being told a special secret into his head, Lea wondered just how he'd be able to survive until then. Groaning long and hard, he squeezed his eyes shut tightly, his head shaking furiously from side to side. Roxas found it rather comical and he laughed softly as he watched his son go about his strange ways.
Wiping the remnants of his tears away with the back of his hand, Lea nodded his head immediately afterwards. "I—I'll do it! I'll tell Axel that I'm sorry and I'll wait! You just have to promise not to forget to tell me! Okay daddy?"
"Don't worry, I promise..." Roxas murmured as he pressed his lips firmly against the boy's temple.
o0o0o0o
The atmosphere in the lobby felt unnaturally bizarre to Roxas the moment he entered the building with Lea in hand. Sure, there were a few stragglers wandering about on the first floor, glancing his way and eying him briefly but he couldn't shake off the feeling that he and his son were being watched. It was quite a scary thought really, and to be on the safe side, he carried Lea in his arms and walked briskly towards the elevators.
Just as the doors were preparing to close and take him and his son up to the top floor, a hand shot out suddenly; catching the elevator just in time. It left Roxas literally jumping back from the shock with a gasp and Lea yelped loudly from his abrupt movements as he pressed himself up against the wall of the elevator shaft.
His heart was racing rapidly, so fast that Roxas was sure that he wouldn't be surprised if the beating organ decided to burst out from his chest. Watching the doors slide open again, his blue eyes widened at the sight of a tall, lanky man with an impressive ponytail of red hair in a black suit with his jacket unbuttoned and his dress shirt untucked. He made a small noise in disgust at the man's indecent manner of styling such professional attire and noted the goggles that he wore on his head. The smirk he wore as he crept right in like nobody's business left Roxas glaring but the blond held his tongue as best he could.
"Yo, going up too I hope?" The unnamed redhead asked.
"I was, obviously…" Roxas said that last part under his breath. "Until you tried to throw yourself in here from out of the blue." He replied with a slight growl in his voice.
"Whoops, sorry about that." He said with a sneer and in that moment Roxas felt a sudden sensation of deja vu overcome him. It proved to deepen his dislike of the mysterious man even more and so he scooted towards the corner where he felt it was furthest away from the redhead's presence.
That was a mistake he hadn't been prepared for.
The glow from the floor button that Roxas had previously pressed on was still present. Though the light was faint, the redhead pressed down on it again for him and afterwards decided to move off to the side and stand right next to the blond in the elevator. It was much too close for anyone's comfort in Roxas' mind and he seethed dangerously at their close proximity. Was the guy doing this on purpose?!
His mental state went haywire as he watched the doors close. Now, Lea and him were alone with the guy… He groaned inwardly, cursing above and beyond to whatever deity was listening to his distress.
Roxas longed for their short trip in the elevator to be fast and silent as hell but no amount of hoping could stop fate from doing the exact opposite of what he wanted. Life was just too cruel to him sometimes and he made a pained expression the moment he heard the redhead begin to speak.
"Top floor huh?" The man asked.
Great, he wanted to make small talk and Roxas gritted his teeth at this.
"Uh-huh!" Lea nodded his head. "We're going to have lunch with my daddy's boss!"
Roxas couldn't believe how quick his son was to start talking to a total stranger. His mouth gaped open just listening to the boy chirp.
"Really now?" He smiled.
"Mmhmm!"
"What's your name kid?"
'Don't say it, please don't say it…' Roxas prayed but his hopes were smashed in an instant yet again. His boy just loved meeting new people, and he couldn't penalize him for being a social butterfly no matter how much he detested their current situation and the unruly male next to them.
"Lea Strife!"
"Strife huh?" The man grinned, his gaze turning towards Roxas. "You wouldn't happen to be related to Cloud? Would you blondie?"
Roxas' glare intensified tenfold. He felt insulted to be called blondie by the complete stranger and to make the redhead's offense clear to him, he gave the man a hard look—one that would no doubt have the power to kill… if only… "He's my older brother, why do you ask?" He questioned rather sharply.
The redhead was hardly prepared for the killer glare that was thrown his way and he felt his blood run cold as a result. "Whoa! I mean absolutely no harm by it!" He laughed nervously. "I was just curious! The kid said Strife and looking at you, I can tell that you're somehow related to Cloud that's all!"
"Sure you were..." Roxas started talking as he continued to hold his glare firmly but the sound of the familiar ding from above stopped him from continuing any further. He was literally saved by the bell, thank goodness.
Watching the doors finally open for them at long last, Roxas pushed past the man roughly. It was his fault for standing too close though, and he gave the redhead one last scowl before speed walking the hell out of the elevator and down the hall to his destination.
Unfortunately, the man had other plans and was not about to let the twenty-four year olds rudeness slide so easily. Before Roxas realized it, the redhead was hightailing after him and Lea swiftly much to Roxas' shock.
"Excuse me, but don't you have anything better to do other than following my son and I?!" Roxas finally shouted at him, his patience hanging dangerously by a thread.
"Actually, we're headed in the same direction." He smirked. "So don't think that you're off the hook just yet, blondie." He said on purpose this time.
Roxas' voice hitched as Lea made an 'Uh-oh' sound. The boy was well aware of how nasty of a temper his father had and he shook his head in dismay at the other man's mistake for trying to provoke the blond Strife of all people.
If they had been anywhere else but his workplace, Roxas would have made doubly sure to rectify the redhead's mistake for deliberately annoying him. But alas, this wasn't the best place to lose his temper and he swallowed down his pride as the man walked on ahead and opened the office doors. It sucked, it really sucked! He already had a reputation for being a nag and though his temper was legendary throughout the entire building—pummeling a total stranger would be considered beyond crazy even for him.
"Axel guess whose here!" The man sang loudly as he burst through the double doors with Roxas and Lea trailing awkwardly behind him.
The said redhead gave out a pained moan and pinched the bridge of his nose. Of all people it had to be… "Reno… What are you doing here?"
"What? Am I not allowed to visit my baby brother?"
"B-brother?" Roxas choked, his eyes darting back and forth between the two men. It was no wonder why he felt a sense of familiarity about the guy.
Lea just blinked. Innocent as ever, he tugged lightly on his father's shirt with a curious glow in his eyes. "Daddy I just noticed that Axel, that guy and me have the same red hair."
'Shit.' Roxas mentally hissed. This was not the way that he wanted to tell Lea the truth and he looked up at Axel almost desperately for his help.
Seeing that his assistant was unable to come up with an explanation, Axel got up quickly from his desk and walked over towards the three. "Hey, you two hurry up and start eating before the food gets cold!" He pointed at the blond. "I'm going to talk to Reno real quick so you can start eating without me." He said with a laugh, ushering Roxas and his son to the black leather couch and matching coffee table on the other side of the room.
Roxas nodded his head, mouthing a silent thank you however Lea was not as oblivious as he seemed and caught a glimpse of the two's exchange.
Smiling briefly at the pair, Axel then turned his attention to his older brother who stood there smirking silently at the display. Narrowing his eyes at him, Axel's grin was wiped clean off within seconds and he proceeded to leave the room, dragging Reno none too gently along with him.
"What are you doing here?" Axel asked him again with a hiss once they were back out into the hallway.
"It should be obvious why I'm here." Reno replied.
Before long, Axel found an empty conference room and without thinking he threw his brother inside and shut the door closed behind them. "Alright, start talking Reno."
The older of the two staggered but he managed to catch himself just in time with a few hops on his right leg. Giving Axel a frown, Reno shook his head as he dusted himself off lightly after being handled so roughly. "Dad's not happy, so I'm playing errand boy for him today."
Axel crossed his arms. "Obviously."
"I was also following the rumors that have been spreading around here. Dad knows since I've been looking into everything for him and I also wanted to see for myself if it was true." Reno said; his posture straightening up as he wore a serious expression much like his younger brother. There was no laughing now. "Lea Strife huh? He looks just like you when you were a kid."
"I know…" Axel murmured. "What does the old man think about the situation?"
"I already told you, he's not happy." Reno sighed. "And he's even more pissed that you're skipping out on next Saturday's matchmaking session. Come on bro, Xion isn't that bad!"
"But that isn't why I'm canceling!"
"Then what is it?"
"Lea is turning five on the tenth..." Axel admitted grudgingly and took a deep breath. "How was I supposed to tell dad about my son's birthday being on the same day as the matchmaking when I haven't even told him about what's been going on? I mean, the son I thought I would never have has been alive this entire time and the person raising him has been my assistant all along! What am I supposed to say to him Reno?" He sighed heavily, growling slightly as he felt a rise in frustration just thinking about their father. "If I tell him, he'll probably take matters into his own hands and try to take Lea away from Roxas!" It was then that he looked up at his older brother as the thought truly dawned on him. "He's going to do it isn't he, Reno?"
The older man just shrugged. Axel hated his reaction and he couldn't help but glare at how insensitive he was being. "I don't know, he didn't say. Probably kept that bit of information to himself since he probably knew I would tip you off and I would. Lea is your son, not our father's." He declared, making it clear that regardless of his duties, he was still on his younger brother's side. "Still, I can't help but wonder why you haven't told the kid the truth yet. Is it because he's still young? That's it isn't it?"
"Well, of course. He's still four years old y'know." Axel said. "That and the fact that Roxas wants Lea and I to establish a familiar relationship with each other before we drop the bomb on him... Makes sense though, I mean can you imagine what his reaction would be if I suddenly told him that I was his real dad?"
"He'd probably have a heart attack."
"Exactly and the last thing I want to do is piss off the man who raised my son." Axel sighed as he dropped himself down into the nearest chair. "Roxas absolutely adores Lea, he'd do just about anything to make him happy…" He mumbled. "He's temperamental but it's worth pushing his buttons sometimes…"
Reno chuckled quietly at the dreamy air that suddenly surrounded his younger brother. It was quite a fascinating sight really and the way he talked about the blond left him wondering just how much Axel had changed since the last time they had seen each other. "He's quite a charmer isn't he? That assistant of yours.
"He sure is… Even if he can be a pain in the ass, he has a unique charm to him indeed…" Axel replied unconsciously.
"You didn't think twice about saying that just now did you?" Reno flicked his forehead. "Cupid went and shot you with his arrow of love a week too early yo."
Axel flinched back and began rubbing the area where his brother grazed him. "What? No, I'm just—"
"Admit it." Reno interjected as he waved his finger in a rather scolding manner. "You've been hooked, lined and sinkered by Roxas Strife."
"Reno don't twist my words!" Axel pushed himself back up onto his feet, standing toe to toe with his older brother. "It's not like that—well I mean I'm attracted to him but it's too soon and he's Lea's adopted father!" He insisted but it was then that the redhead began to question if whether or not he was just making up excuses for himself. It hadn't been too long ago that he was still trying to get into Roxas' pants and to see himself reduced to that of a teenager in denial instead of his usual arrogant self, left Axel completely speechless.
Reno saw the way Axel backed down. The younger was contemplating his next words but Reno didn't feel like giving his younger brother the chance to deny his feelings if that's what he was planning to do. "I'm not twisting your words at all bro! I just wanted to make it clear to you how gaga you looked just talking about him. I mean, I completely understand if you actually do like him and stuff! After all his brother is just as erratic and hot as he is, even though he's already married to Leon… but it's still attractive all around" He purred, a smirk pulling at the corners of his lips as an idea struck him. "Say, if you really are implying that you're not interested in pursuing him, would you mind if I gave it a shot?"
All thought process ceased and whatever Axel was thinking about at that moment was gone in an instant. Before he knew what he was about to say, Axel stared at his older brother threateningly as the words left his mouth. "Absolutely not! He's off limits so keep your grimy hands off of him!"
"Oh, so you do like him." Reno teased.
"Yes! Wait! Reno!" Axel exclaimed. He was ready to wring his brother's neck like a chicken.
"Calm down would ya?" He laughed. "It's okay if you like him. I'm not judging you."
"You're not, but the old man will." Axel seethed. "I bet you're going to tell him about all of this, aren't you?"
"You know I have to." Reno sighed. "Even if I don't want to, I'm just doing my job."
"Tck, whatever." Axel murmured bitterly. "Mom just had to marry a criminal…"
"Hey, hey if she didn't we wouldn't have been born!" Reno pointed out.
"Please don't even get me started…" Axel warned as he released yet another heavy sigh. "Look, just go already. You got what you came for and now I just want to go back to my office and have lunch with my son and Roxas before getting back to my work and having a dinner date with them later."
"Dinner date huh?"
"Shit…"
"Don't deny it Axel, you like this one and you like him a lot, regardless of the fact that he's been a father to your son this entire time." Reno chimed. Back tracking towards the door, he stopped just shy of twisting the knob and letting himself out. "Just so you know, Genesis isn't going to let this go. I don't know what he's planning but I suggest that you prepare yourself for whatever it is Axel." Glancing over his shoulder, he gave the younger redhead a sympathetic look before leaving the room all together. "I'll probably see you soon, so take care."
He looked down slowly at the carpeted floor. "Yeah… You too, Reno."
And the older of the two was gone just like that.
Now that he was alone, Axel groaned loudly with irritation, his mind still reeling in over his brother's warning. This was merely the calm before the storm. He knew that and he dreaded the possibilities that could be in store for him, Roxas and Lea.
There was a battle just waiting to be fought on the horizon and Axel wasn't sure about how he was going to counter the first wave of attacks. It was a frightening thought and he could only imagine what Roxas' reaction would be since he knew the younger man was still waiting for him with Lea back in the office. Knowing his assistant, Axel was sure that he would be getting more than just an earful today and that made him groan even more. Which was worse? His father's wrath? Or Roxas Strife?
A/N: And cut! Okay, this has been the longest chapter thus far. Pretty surprising I think xAx but that's just me. So yeah, I'm going to be a little redundant in case you guys skipped my first author's notes at the beginning. Ahem~ I'm going to be starting classes again on September 3rd! Which means my writing will sadly be slowing down I think, depending on my motivation and what I'm writing ): I know, I'm upset too but education is important. Also if you've already forgotten then I'll just remind you guys again that I'm planning bonus chapters once I wrap up this story. If there is a specific part of the story or focus that you want, you're all welcome to leave me a prompt in a review or just send me a private message (: Whatever works for you guys.
I'm really unsure about when the next update will be, but I'll try my best to write a paragraph or page a day or so while I'm back in school (no promises). Anyway's, thank you for reading chapter 9! And last thing, I love it when you guys leave behind goodies for me to find in my email :3 that make me giddy inside, ho, ho, ho~
