"This…isn't what it looks like," I said weakly, fully knowing it was exactly what it looked like. There were a few tense, awkward seconds where we all remained frozen. I watched Axel—who was still on top of me—access the situation, his head turned towards the interruption with an innocent, curious look. His eyes met mine, and I swear he almost leaned down to kiss me, but instead he carefully maneuvered himself until he was sitting next to me. The excitement had vanished anyway, replaced with a feeling of mortification and dread.

Thankfully Axel had tossed a blanket over me (so quickly I didn't notice) and I clutched it to my body. This must look really bad. Axel crossing his arms over his bare chest with a clear message: so what? While I blushed and wished that I was at least half-clothed like Axel.

"Hello, person I am not acquainted with," Axel said, sounding both amused and furious.

"What are you doing?" Hayner growled.

"What do you think we're doing?" Axel shot back.

Oh shit.

"Hayner, this is—"

"I thought this was above you," Hayner spat.

"What?"

"How much did he cost?"

"I'm his boyfriend, dumbass," Axel snarled.

They stared each other down, as if waiting for the signal to rip the enemy's throat out.

This seemed to last for hours; their faces twisted and dark as I desperately tried to think of what to do next.

Hayner said a single word.

I don't know who it was directed at, but I had my suspicions.

It stung.

After he exited the way he'd came—the window—Axel visibly relaxed.

"I should trust you, right?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said, uncertain of what he was thinking about.

"Then I shouldn't just assume I'm the other man?"

"Wha—no. No!"

"So…" he paused, grinning. "You weren't cheating on him with me or visa versa?"

"No, he's just a friend."

"Who happened to sneak through your window in the middle of the night?"

I began to explain and I was surprised at how Axel took it all in stride.

At the end, we both fell silent. I was sort of wondering about where my clothes were by the time he spoke again. "Well he can't have you."

I nodded.

"And neither can Kairi."

"Or anyone else." He paused. "You're mine."

Before I had time to react to that possessive and slightly aggressive sounding statement, he was back on top of me.

"Ax—mmm."

He covered my mouth with his, sliding his hand underneath the blanket and onto my chest. He nibbled on my neck and I grimaced. "S-Stop, Axel."

He ignored me, tracing my collarbone with his tongue as I shivered.

I'm not sure how long this lasted. He kept toying with me and right before he was going to actually do something, we heard a weird thumping noise.

"What the hell?" Axel sat up slightly, looking annoyed.

"What was that?" I asked, my heart racing. The door was locked, right? It must be a dog or something.

"I don't k—"

Thump. Thump. Thump.

"It sounds…"

"Like something banging against the wall," he finished incredulously. He looked down on me, and then added quickly, "Let's ignore it."

He tried to bury himself in-between my legs but I pushed him away, shrieking, "It's still there!"

"It's nothing."

"Axel!" My voice cracked out of fear and he finally moved away from me.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

"Damn it," he muttered. "I'll go check it out."

He got up, and I scrambled after him, pulling my clothes back on (which put a disappointed look on Axel's face).

The noise seemed to be gone; we crept into each room, but nothing was out of place.

"See? We're fine," Axel sighed, sitting on the couch in the living room.

"I guess," I said uncertainly, climbing onto his lap, trying to clear my thoughts.

He smiled happily. "You're safe, Roxas."

"Thanks for staying over here," I said softly as he wrapped his arms around me protectively.

"Don't mention it."

The adrenaline that had been pumping through my veins was slowly fading, replaced with a content grogginess. My neighbor's dog likes to get into trouble, I thought, breathing in Axel's scent like a drug. That's what that noise was. Wow, I can't believe what Axel and I just did; I almost giggled at that, my eyes closing. The rise and fall of his chest was lulling, and I began to drift off.

XxXxX

"Roxas? Roxas!"

Axel was shaking me awake.

"Huh?"

"I wanted to let you sleep but…" He paused, and I heard it. Someone was yelling. The voice was desperate.

We run outside, and everything seemed blurred and faded to my tired eyes. For some reason, there was a red baseball laying a few feet from the door, looking desolate and forgotten. A few more paces and the scene was in front of us. I clutched onto Axel, feeling my breath escape me as he swore. It was homecoming all over again. The body. The way it became a spectacle, everything smeared and strewn about as if it was a show just for us. Whoever it was—the carcass—was unidentifiable, but there were bits of pink cloth buried in blood and the….pieces. Which meant that it was a girl. My eyes trailed up to see Hayner. He was standing in the middle of it. His shoes were covered in gore. There was a blank look on his face, and the second he looked up, my heart froze. I couldn't help thinking that he was insane…completely insane …..we need to get out of here….

"Roxas," he stumbled forward with a sickening squelching noise.

"S-Stay back!" I screamed, shaking.

"Please….listen….."

He continued to advance, desperately calling to me, and I felt Axel's grip on me tighten. "Get inside. Call the cops," he managed, whispering to me hoarsely.

"I can't leave you here!" I protested as he tried to push me backwards.

"Roxas, go!" he demanded.

He pushed me harder, and I slipped on the grass and fell. Before either of us could do anything, Hayner was sobbing. "I didn't do it! Please believe me!"

We didn't even respond; Axel was helping me to my feet. Just as I stood up, something flew past my head, making me scream. We both ducked instinctively, and when my eyes scanned the area, I saw that red baseball nearby. Someone…threw it?

"Who's there?" Axel demanded, fear showing through his voice clearly.

Nothing.

Before he was tugging me away, frantic, I caught another glimpse of Hayner; he was scrambling, trying to get to us, his face blotchy and red from crying. "I couldn't help her! I saw…" he broke off with a loud sob. "I…didn't…..Kairi….."

Axel was slamming the door closed and locking it.

Axel was holding a phone. I permanently attached myself to his side

I was completely out of it, and I could hear Axel's shaky voice but couldn't bring myself to focus. The next thing I knew, I was being dragged into my parents' room. It's at the very back of the house so it was the furthest from the door. Axel shut and locked the door so that it was pitch blank. He grabbed my hand, murmuring, "It's ok, the police are coming" before guiding me to the bed. At first I thought he wanted to continue our earlier activities, but he just wrapped me up tightly in a blanket and laid down next to me so that we were pressed together. I found his hand and tried to get horrifying images out of my head. We remained silent, even though we could still hear noises from outside.

At first, it was a dull, unrecognizable clamor.

Then there was shouting.

Screaming.

It was Hayner.

We left him outside.

He wasn't—

"No," Axel said firmly, hanging onto me and not letting me stand.

"But Hayner's in trouble!" I struggled.

"I won't let you get killed."

"Axel," I squirmed. "Let go!"

His arms tensed around my stomach and I fell over, half on the bed, half off.

"You're not thinking straight!"

"Let me—"

We both froze as the screaming rose in a crescendo and then abruptly vanished.

"Oh my god…" I muttered, shifting until I was back onto the bed. Tears prickled my eyes and I couldn't stop a wail from rising within me.

Thump thump thump.

I curled up into a ball and Axel was holding onto me.

The next thing we heard was the shattering of glass and I found myself screaming.