OMG!!! I'm sorry, lol, i really DID burn the water i was trying to boil...don't ask (sighs) i'm a disaster in the kitchen...would you believe me if i told you i hadn't had ramen in over a month as was desperate and sloppy in my cooking which caused the broken law of physics? lol, that's the story on that. but, ONWARD! you did not come for that, you came for this (points at chapter) hehehe, yes, this is the second half, and i must warn you...this is where the angst comes in so...be prepared to feel bad!!!
Disclaimer: ...Kingdom Hearts...don't own...
Kanta: I TOLD YOU TO STAY IN THE CORNER!
Ramen: Axel left, so why do I have to stay?!
Kanta: wait...Axel left?! ugh...three...two...one (hears loud BOOM) great...
Axel: (runs in looking innocent) i didn't do it!
Ramen: why does it smell like something's burning?
Kanta: ...
"It's getting late, you guys, how about one more game?" Asmara said as she stood, waking Roxas. When the blond saw how he was cuddled close to Axel, he shot up and rolled away, feeling mortified.
How could I have just…and why did it have to feel so good…so warm? Ugh…Roxas shook his head and stood. If he kept thinking things like that, he'd go insane. Axel wasn't his type. He was just going to keep telling himself that. He hadn't even been friends with him for a week.
Axel sighed at the loss of Roxas' sleepy snuggles and sat up too. "What kind of game?" he asked Asmara, who nudged Sora with her foot. The brunet had wandered back with a wide smile and had promptly fallen asleep.
Sora snorted and rolled over. He pushed to his feet and looked groggily around the group. Demyx was up and looking stunned to find himself practically in Zexion's lap. Zexion just shrugged and set his book aside.
Asmara smiled and turned towards the ocean. "How about a quick game of Marco Polo?"
Sora snapped awake at that. "YEAH!"
Axel tossed Roxas a grin. "You up for it, Roxas?"
Roxas rolled his eyes. "Why not? Perfect end to a perfect day, right?" he turned his face away as he said it.
Demyx jumped to his feet, pulling Zexion with him. "Yeah, great idea. Let's go!" he ran down to the water, dragging Zexion along too.
Asmara giggled and ran after them.
"Hey, wait for me, it was my idea in the first place!" she jumped up onto Demyx's back, knocking him and Zexion into the water. They all surface and laughed. Even Zexion seemed to be having a good time.
Demyx swam out into the shallows. "Let's play, let's play!"
Zexion turned and looked back to see Sora barreling into the water. The brunet and Demyx decided to have a race out to the end of the pier and back. Zexion just stared at the two figures still standing on the beach.
"Axel likes him a lot, huh?" Asmara whispered quietly.
Zexion nodded. "But he's going about expressing it all the wrong way."
"You told him to just be his friend, didn't you?" she quirked an eyebrow at Zexion, who just nodded again.
"Smooth…"
"Excuse me?"
"You shouldn't have said that…now that they're getting to be friends, Roxas is just going to use that as an excuse when Axel makes his big move." Asmara explained, shaking her head. "Silly, silly boy."
"I don't think I like you tone." Zexion threatened, crossing his arms and looking away from the pink-haired girl who scoffed.
"How can you give advice to your friend about his romantic interests, when you can't even handle your own?" Asmara leaned in, grinning slyly.
"What on earth are you talking about?"
"Oh…nothing." She trailed off, looking pointedly at Demyx as he shot through the water towards them, Sora hot on his heels.
Zexion stared at Asmara strangely before she turned her back to him and shouted out for Axel and Roxas.
"Move it or lose it, boys! Let's play already!" she waved her arms to get their attention.
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Axel tossed a careless grin Roxas' way. "Waddaya say, Roxas? Ready for a wet romp in the water?"
Roxas scowled. "Why does everything that comes out of your mouth sound dirty?"
"I'm special like that." Axel said proudly as he grabbed Roxas and ran for the water.
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"Alright, now that the gang's all here," Asmara announced as Demyx and Sora surfaced, panting from their race. Roxas stood the closest to the shore, arms crossed and looking irritated that he had to be in the water. Asmara wanted to question him, seeing as throughout the day, he had refused to play in the water with them, instead choosing to stay on the beach and watch. But she knew Roxas wouldn't answer and just get pissy. Hey, at least he was actually in the water now.
"LET'S PLAY!" Sora and Demyx shouted together, splashing one another and giggling.
"Okay…let's see…Roxas," the blond turned to blink at the only girl in their group. "You're it."
"Why do I have to be it?" he snapped.
"Penalty start." Asmara instantly answered. At Roxas' blank stare, she elaborated. "You haven't played a single game in the water with us today, Roxas. So, by default, you have to be the first one it."
Roxas sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Fine…let's just play so we can go."
"SWEET!" Demyx cried, rolling in the water. "Okay, Roxas close your eyes and count to ten!"
"Yeah…whatever…" Roxas turned his back to the others and close his eyes as per instructions. "One…two…"
Everyone spread out, Demyx and Sora choosing to go into deeper water, while Zexion and Asmara wandered further down the shallows. Axel, risk taker and Roxas Stalker that he was, stayed close, a wicked glint in his eyes.
"Seven…eight…nine…ten." Roxas spun around, his arms held out in front of him as he wandered out into the water, eyes still held tightly shut. "Marco!"
"Polo!" everyone, save for Axel, shouted back, laughing.
Roxas turned to his right and wandered that way for several seconds before turning back. "Marco!"
"Polo!"
Damn it, I hate this game. Roxas thought as he tried to locate the others by just the sounds of their voices without venturing too far into the water. He didn't want to have to go any deeper than he already was. Waist deep is fine, thank you very much. Roxas swallowed hard, trying to fight back his rising anxiety.
"Marco!"
"Polo!" as everyone called back, Roxas dove forward, almost tagging Demyx, who squealed and dove away, laughing.
Encouraged by the close call, Roxas smiled and found that he was actually having fun for once. He was even gaining the courage to go further out.
Everyone bunched together, herded towards the pier by their pursuer, still calling back and forth. Axel, unnoticed by Roxas, snuck up behind the smaller blond as Roxas reached out, trying to find the others.
Axel held a finger to his lips, and everyone stared at him wide-eyed and questioning. What was the redhead planning?
"Marco?" Roxas asked uncertainly at the lack of sound. Even when they were trying to be quiet, there was always the sound of muffled giggling. Now, there was nothing. Had they left him?
"POLO!" Axel shouted as he pounced on an unsuspecting Roxas, dunking him underwater. "Ha ha, gotcha, Roxas!"
"AXEL, NO!" Sora screamed, swimming awkwardly towards them.
"Sora, what's your—'' Axel glanced down at the sound of Roxas' frantic splashing. Under the surface, Roxas was flailing to get free of Axel's hold, panicking.
Axel let go immediately and Roxas surfaced, gasping desperately for air and wiping water out of his face. Sora reached them, the others swimming closer in concern, and wrapped his arms around his brother.
"Rox, it's okay. He didn't mean it like that."
But Roxas wasn't listening. He tore free of Sora's hold and stumbled back to shore, running once he was on land. Axel started after him, only to be stopped by Sora.
"Leave him alone, Axel."
"What's wrong? What did I do?" Axel stared after Roxas, wanting to run after the boy badly. "Sora…why's he afraid of water?"
Sora sighed and shook his head. Asmara, Demyx and Zexion caught up to them and they all walked to the shore together. "You'll have to ask him about that. I promised I wouldn't tell. Ever."
Asmara covered her mouth with a hand, looking sad. "If I had known he was afraid of the water, and not just being stubborn, I would never have…" Sora patted her should comfortingly, giving her a small smile.
"It's okay, Asmara. You didn't know. None of you did." He shook water out of his hair and motioned the other to follow him back to their blanket. "Let's pack up. We should head back before it gets too dark."
Demyx nodded and rested his head on Zexion's shoulder. "I feel bad for him, Zex."
Zexion patted Demyx on the head, sharing a look with Asmara. "I do too, Dem. I do too."
"Fuck this, I'm not just going to leave him." Axel snapped, turning and running after Roxas, ignoring Sora's pleas to stop.
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Roxas choked back a sob, rocking himself back and forth. Knees drawn tightly to his chest, he sat under the dock, trying to hold back the memories that had surfaced. He knew Axel hadn't meant any harm but…he buried his face in his arms.
He loathed water. He couldn't really recall in great detail why…but he just knew that it wasn't good. Every time he was in the water, Roxas felt himself hesitating, his chest getting tight. If he didn't hyperventilate, then he was tense and wary around those in the water with him. Just like today. Except…for once, he'd actually let his guard down a bit, finding the silly, child's game fun.
But then Axel had…held him underwater…and Roxas couldn't handle that.
"Roxas? You okay?" Axel asked as he knelt down beside him.
Roxas curled up tighter. "Leave me alone, Axel…please."
"No." Axel calmly denied, sitting down next to the trembling blond. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong. Why'd you freak like that? It was just a joke."
Turning his face away, Roxas ignored Axel's questions. His mind kept drawing up that same picture. That same face. So cold. So distant. So uncaring. Those blue eyes he saw everyday in the mirror hovering above him like ice. Those slim hands that should have cradled, should have comforted, holding him down. Waiting.
Waiting for him to drown.
"C'mon, Roxas. You can't keep it to yourself forever." Axel cajoled. "I can't even get Sora to tell me, and you and I both know he's the most gullible person alive. Except maybe for Demyx. But that's not the point."
"No, the point is, you need to drop it and leave." Roxas interrupted. He didn't sound mad, which only worried Axel more. No, Roxas sounded…tired. Worn out.
"Roxas, just tell me, please? Aren't we friends? You can tell me anything. I promise I won't tell another soul." Axel watched as Roxas slowly turned his head to face him, those beautiful blue eyes of his empty and dark. Chancing being slapped, Axel reached out and gently stroked Roxas' dripping blond hair. "Please, Roxas…you can trust me."
Roxas closed his eyes and sighed wearily. When he opened them again, Axel jumped back at the cold, hard look in them. In a clear, steady voice, Roxas confided.
"When I was three…my mother tried to drown me in the bathtub."
Axel could only stare at the blond in disbelief. "What?"
"You said I could tell you anything, Axel." Roxas countered coldly. His tone hard, yet still not angry. "Now you know why I freaked out. I don't like being held underwater…especially by someone who shouldn't hurt me."
"But I…Roxas, I didn't know. I wasn't trying to hurt you, it was just for fun." Axel defended, scooting away a bit as Roxas' voice became more and more frigid.
"Are you sure about that, Axel?" he didn't blink once as he unfolded himself and began to slowly crawl after the retreating Axel. "How can I be sure? I don't know you. You don't know me."
"Roxas…"
"Trust you? Trust you?" Roxas laughed darkly. He stopped, his face hovering just inches above Axel's. He leaned down and whispered in a chilly tone.
"Axel…I don't even trust my own brother…why would I ever trust you?"
That said, Roxas stood and walked away, not once glancing back.
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Axel remained sitting in the sand, oblivious to the chill in the twilight air. He was too stunned to move, too stunned to speak. He hadn't…hadn't even guessed that…Axel wiped a hand over his face, trying to rub away the look on Roxas' face from his mind.
"Roxas…I'm sorry." He whispered, his words carried away in the sudden wind that blew across the beach.
"Axel!" Demyx called, waving from down the beach, "Let's go! Hurry up, or we'll leave ya!"
Axel stood and brushed as much sand as he could off of his damp body. Sighing, he trudged back down to the group. Ignoring their questions and Sora's sorrowful, knowing look, Axel grabbed his clothes and headed for the car. Silent.
Jeez...well...that's it, that's the chapter. A further look into Roxas' past and why he is the way he is. anyone else notice how Sora suddenly started acting all mature and taking charge? yeah...(sighs) i'm depressed now...
Axel: have a lighter!
Ramen: oooooo...(holds lighter reverently)
Kanta: GIVE ME THAT NOW! (chases Ramen)
Ramen: REVIEW PLZ!!! (runs screaming out the door) I'LL UPDATE SOON!
