The summer months had been the highlight of his life, Axel having managed to get especially close to Roxy. He could now say that him and Roxas had reached best friend level – quite an amazing thing, considering that the blonde had spent oh so many months hating him, sending countless glares in his direction, wishing him dead. Well, that was just the way the cookie crumbled. Axel wished he could re live that entire summer over again, the process of getting to know Roxas better. Finding out that Roxas' favorite movie was Fight Club (it was admittedly Axel's favorite movie as well), and going bowling with Roxas – which had turned out to be a comical adventure, Roxas slipping and sliding down one of the lanes – knocking down more pins than his ball did. Well, Axel would have chosen to re live the entire summer except for the last two weeks of course. The last two weeks that involved attending a funeral. There were few things that Axel hated in the world, one of them being funerals.
Standing before the bathroom mirror, Axel continued to move thin fingers through his hair – waxing his hair to perfection, to the point that it stood up in it's usual fashion. He was still occupying the bathroom, struggling to make sure his tattoos weren't infected when his younger sister – a Freshman this year struggled to push her way into the bathroom.
"AXELLLLL!!!" Yuffie cried loudly, trying to nudge her way into the bathroom – to no avail of course, considering she just fell backwards on her rear end, left to stare up at her older brother who was smirking by this point, still gladly occupying the mirror.
Rising from the floor, Yuffie stomped her foot on the floor, hands resting on her hips. "I need the bathroom," She demanded -- "Get out."
Axel shook his head, answering her with a simple no. "I got here first, I'm staying." He announced, deliberately starting to move slower than he had before to force her to wait longer for him to leave the bathroom. Yuffie looked frustrated, and again she ran at him – trying to knock him out of the way of the mirror. Axel of course pushed her out of the way, and back onto the floor.
Yuffie pouted, sitting up again as she dusted off her clothes. She just didn't give up, did she?
"Axelll, that's no way to treat a lady. . . ." She whined, trying to play the 'I'm an innocent little girl card' on him. That card had stopped working when she turned five.
Scoffing, Axel rolled bright green eyes. "Ah, but I'm not treating a lady – I'm treating . . . . you." He concluded, knocking her out of the way with a small oof afterwards resuming prepping himself for school once more. Yuffie could be heard stomping repeatedly on the floor, about to throw a fit.
"I'm telling mom!" She declared. Right as Yuffie disappeared down the hallway, Axel was finished getting ready. Shutting off the bathroom light he started off down the hallway, exiting his room with his bag as his mother shouted up the stairs.
"Axel! Let your sister into the bathroom." His mother advised, Axel stood at the top of the staircase, shrugging large shoulders.
"What? I'm done. . ." He trailed off, pursing his lips as he took the stairs two at a time. He stopped next to Yuffie briefly, taking enough time to call her a brat before making his way outside, on his way to the bus stop. He was looking forward to seeing hiss--- well, Roxas. He was looking forward to seeing Roxas.
The walk to the bus stop was short, Axel's house being particularly close to where they all waited for the bus. Standing there at this very moment were Roxas and Namine, discussing something that was – apparently of interest. As Axel neared the two, he caught clips of their conversation.
"I didn't miss him that much." Axel heard the blonde remark, and he couldn't help but roll his green eyes at the comment. Time to play the role of the usual sarcastic Axel that he was.
"What, blondie – you didn't miss me?" Axel questioned – sounding almost hurt at the fact that Roxas had declared he hadn't missed him over the past two weeks. Axel had certainly missed Roxas, not that he was ever admit to that. "Well . . . . that's rude," Axel finally concluded. Of course it was obvious that Axel was only teasing Roxas. Making himself comfortable next to Roxas, the red head smiled – although he didn't have anything in particular to smile about, other than the fact that he was well. . . . . sitting next to Roxas.
It was then that Roxas finally spoke up, defending himself from Axel's teasing that had occurred a few seconds earlier. "I said I didn't miss you that much. One can only deal with so much of you, Axel."
Like that made things any better. Well, Axel wasn't really mad at Roxas, he knew the blonde had secretly missed him – even if he didn't want to admit it.
"So...blondie, what did you do without me hmm?" Axel inquired, craning his neck ever so slightly to eye the blonde beside him with bright green eyes. He noted that Roxas had changed, matured – gotten, cuter than he'd been at the start of the summer. Axel hadn't changed much, Axel knew that – he was still the same old Axel. Well. . . . besides the fact that-
"Axel, what are those?" He heard Namine ask, and Axel immediately noted that she was pointing to the two new additions to his face, the triangular tattoos beneath his eyes. Pointing carefully to the marks, which were still healing up a bit – he shrugged his shoulders a little, treating it as if it were no big deal.
"Well I got tattoos – they don't look bad, do they?" He inquired – falling silent for a bit as he waited for a response from his companions. When he gained their approval, he smiled. At least Roxas deemed them appropriate. Axel had already grown attached to that tattoos even though he'd only had them for a week and a half now, they made up his face – it seemed.
"I think they fit him," A voice declared – the voice of Kairi, who had finally made her arrival – without Sora in tow, he noted. Had they broken up already? It seemed as if they'd only gotten together a week ago. Well, two or three weeks give or take. Still, Axel was used to seeing Sora following Kairi around like a love sick puppy.
Roxas and Namine both voiced Axel's question, inquiring where Sora had ended up – at which point Kairi seemed to realize that she'd lost track of him. The other red head of the group rushed off, leaving Axel alone with Namine and Roxas once more. Not that Axel was disappointed, however, spending time with Roxas and Namine – especially the Roxas part of the equation, was quite nice.
Minor conversation passed between the group for the time being, eventually the bus pulled up at the stop – and the three of them moved onto the bus, assuming their usual seats. Glancing out the window past Roxas, Axel chuckled ever so slightly upon realizing that Sora was being dragged behind Kairi towards the bus. Sora had obviously been planning on skipping school, considering the condition of his clothes, not to mention the fact that his hair was half spiked half flat. He looked, well, ridiculous. When finally Sora and Kairi trailed onto the bus, the last students to arrive there – the bus pulled away from the stop, on it's way to the school.
MAGICAL TIME SKIPPY FROM THE PLANET OF MAGICAL GOODNESS ~
Time seemed to go too fast, really it did – that was at least what Axel thought. Already a month had passed of school, and he was once more adjusted to the schedule. With a new found determination Axel decided that he would pass Junior year this time around, so he could graduate with Roxas and go off to college with him and live happily ever after – that sounded ridiculous, but that's all Axel seemed to dream about. Yes, the great Axel had a soft spot for the blondie he spent a lot of his time tormenting. The weather had become cold, quite cold – to be specific. On this specific morning, it was raining, so Axel stood with the rest of the students that rode the bus – huddled beneath the safety of the awning as he struggled to keep warm. Axel's eyes would trail off in search of Roxas every now and again. He recalled the incident where Roxas had caught pneumonia in Roxas' freshman year, and Axel couldn't help but worry that they would relive that situation again.
When Roxas finally appeared, greeting him, Axel returned the smile that Roxas sent his way and then pushed Roxas into the crowd, to keep him warm and protect him from the rain. Axel was just that caring. Trying to spark conversation, Axel attempted to inform Roxas that he wouldn't be sitting with him today. Axel had, a mission – to say the least. For the past couple of weeks, Demyx had been asking Axel to sit with him. Axel didn't particularly understand why, but – he did, Axel of course always turned him down. Sitting with Roxas was by far a lot more interesting, a lot more relaxing than sitting next to the star of the schools swim team.
Yuffie, however, had caught wind of the fact that Demyx had been attempting to befriend Axel. Being as in love with Demyx as she was, she boldly demanded that Axel befriend Demyx, and find a way to bring him over for dinner or something – so she could meet her idol. Axel had even gone so far as to refuse her, his own little sister – then again, he always refused Yuffie – but that was besides the point. He'd gone so far as to refuse her so he could continue to sit next to Roxas, but Yuffie had gone and whined to his mother who demanded quite forcefully that Axel help Yuffie with her little crush. And thus, Axel took up Demyx's offer to sit next to him.
Axel had not managed to inform Roxas of this by time the bus pulled up, and so Axel followed the crowd of students onto the bus – hoping Roxas wouldn't be too disappointed. As Axel stepped foot onto the bus, he looked at Roxas who was already sitting in his usual seat by the window – Axel's usual seat next to him reserved, and then the usual shout was heard over the chatter of students from the back of the bus, Demyx – of course.
"Hey Axel, back here!" Demyx called, and so – Axel passed by Roxas, trying his best not to look at the blonde. . . . he didn't want to see the look that Roxas gave him, plopping next to Demyx.
MAGICAL TIME SKIPPY FROM THE PLANET OF MAGICAL GOODNESS ~
The time Axel spent with Roxas was less and less, and it was quite disappointing. Befriending Demyx like Yuffie had demanded was so time consuming. Sit with Demyx in the morning, help Demyx fail English class, discuss sports – which Axel could have cared less about. If Axel had his choice in the matter, he would have plopped down next to Roxas on the bus every day and told his little sister to go stalk Demyx on her own damn time, but what his mother said – was what happened, and Yuffie had his mother and father wrapped around her little finger. God damn it.
Axel could tell that Roxas was slowly losing faith in their friendship, Axel always having to deny Roxas the time they usual spent together. It eventually got to the point that they talked briefly in the morning, during trigonometry class – and then besides that, no contact was made between them at all. It was disappointing because Axel so enjoyed his time he spent with Roxas. Axel would not have been surprised if Roxas never wanted to talk to him again, Axel having paid so little attention to Roxas over the past couple of days.
That day on the bus, Axel decided it was time to confess of Yuffie's crush to Demyx, and try to set up some form of a date – even though Demyx was a senior and Yuffie was a Freshman. Axel was growing tired of all the time he was forced to spend with the lug headed idiot known as Demyx. Before exiting the bus, Axel informed Demyx that he had something to tell him – announcing that he should meet him at so and so specific courtyard during the time in between third block and lunch, afterwards making his way to his first block class.
When lunch arrived, Axel found himself waiting for Demyx-- trying to decide how exactly he was going to word it without making his sister sound like a complete tard. If he tarnished Yuffie's nonexistant reputation as a total and complete stalker, well – Axel would be grounded for life. Axel was leaning against the locker, contemplating his words when Demyx arrived – and well, things went. . . . awkward from there.
Demyx, apparently having the wrong ideas about what Axel wanted to tell him, approached the red head leaning up against the lockers and pinned him there. Before Axel was given a reaction time, the blonde was struggling to play tonsil hockey with the red head, who eventually wrestled the blonde off. Spitting onto the ground, Axel wiped the back of his mouth with his hand. Ewwww. He'd been kissed by Demyx. He hoped idiot disease didn't rub off on him.
Demyx looked shocked, "What – what's wrong? Was I really that bad?" Demyx inquired.
The red head was tempted to roll his eyes at the stupidity of Demyx.
"Why the hell did you kiss me, are you stupid?" Axel suddenly demanded. Demyx blinked – stupidly. Putting him in charge of thinking about anything was like handing him a loaded gun, stupid.
"I – I thought you liked me, that's why you wanted to talk to me. . . . . righhhtt?" Demyx questioned, smiling hopefully. Axel shook his head.
"No, no, no, no, no. . . ." He paused, "My sister – Yuffie is the one that likes you. Ughhh." Axel reached upwards and rubbed his temples carefully. His sister was crushing on a complete idiot, and a gay one at that. Axel made a mental note to inform her of that.
Demyx suddenly shifted, looking quite awkward. "Oh well – um, she's nice and all it's just --"
Axel waved his hand nonchalantly, moving away from Demyx before he could pounce again. "Yeahhh I get it," He groaned, starting to move towards the cafeteria where hopefully Roxas would be waiting for him.
"Well, um – call me?" Demyx questioned – although Axel was departing from the courtyard by that point, wishing he'd brought mouth wash with him.
As Axel approached the usual lunch table in the cafeteria, he noted that something seemed wrong with the general atmosphere – and something even more wrong seemed wrong with Roxas in general. Was he sick again? Looking questionably at the group, he raised a thin red eyebrow.
"What's up everybody?" He questioned, trying to sound calm despite everything that happened today as he took his usual seat next to Roxas. Hearing Roxas sniffle, Axel assumed that he'd caught a cold – the flu – something, he never would have guessed that the blonde was crying.
"What's wrong with him?" Axel asked, looking at the others as a look of worry and confusion spread across the red head's already troubled face. Before he got a response, however – a crying Roxas was taking off in the direction of the bathroom, and Axel was receiving glares from every other occupant at the table. What had he done?
A little confused, and now aware of the fact that Roxas was crying, Axel pushed himself up off the table – moving towards the bathroom after Roxas. Whatever was going on, Axel had to straighten this out – immediately.
Yes my beautiful readers, I have updated this story -- finally . . . . . after a long time. . . . . a lonnnngggg time. Aren't you proud of me? Now, here's an explanation as to why I was gone for so long. . . . I had major personal issues, but now I'm back and I'll be updating this fanfiction as well as some new ones that I have in mind. If you can't tell my writing style has improved (it'll become more evident in the next few chapters which I'll be writing from scratch as opposed to already having something to go off of) and I've leveled up on my grammar skills! Hope you enjoyed this chapter everyone, I clarified exactly what was going on with Demyx -- and Axel has a sister. : D Yeah -- him and Yuffie don't exactly look alike but whatever. I wanted someone annoying and she fit the annoying card. So if you are an old reader, you know the drill -- read -- review, make my life worth living. If you are a new reader, it's time for you to learn the drill -- read -- review, buy me socks for my old ones are worn through. Thank you and I hope you enjoyed this chapter of 'I call him Blondie.'
So, will Axel be able to path up things with Roxas? Will Sora and Kairi stop fighting? Will Axel and Roxas ever get together? Is it REALLY not butter? Find out next time on 'I call Him Blondie.'
