DISCLAIMER
I do NOT own any of the Kingdom Hearts I & II rights.
Warning: Shonen-ai, boys kiss & hugs, language below.
Chapter 10
A loud crash.
The wheel of the bike, spinning, spinning, spinning.
Axel and Roxas jumped out of the bike in time to prevent being crushed; but both lied on the ground, panting. Roxas laughed.
"Why… why is it always so dangerous when I'm with you…?" Roxas managed to ask between gasps and chuckles.
"I-I can't prevent dangers from happening…" Axel replied, "But… I will protect you… Plus, you don't know what real danger is." Axel finished his sentence and suddenly rolled over to force a deep kiss on Roxas again. Roxas widened his eyes, but slowly closed his eyes and received the kiss.
I never thought that being with the Devil would feel like this… The blonde thought while Axel's lips gently brushed against his, making his heart skip.
-- At university --
Olette was running along, and finally found Sora.
"Sora! Sora!"
"What? Why the rush?"
"Roxas just asked to talk to Riku! It seems like a big deal!"
The two rushed into the building towards the corridor where Roxas and Riku were.
----
"What do you want to say?" Riku asked.
"I'm a terrible person." Roxas paused when the two of his best friends arrived, "I can't continue going out with you." Riku looked up plainly, shades of pain dyed in his aquamarine eyes. Roxas looked down and continued, "It's my entire fault. I took my adoration of you as a crush on you. If we continue like this, I'll only hurt you more and more. I'm in love with someone else; I'm in love with Axel."
"He really said it!" Sora exclaimed in a whisper with disbelief.
"He's unusually courageous…" Olette commented.
"I'm sorry." Roxas apologized. Riku sighed, and began to stroll away. He stopped before he got out of Roxas' hearing zone, smiled and lied, "It's ok, I'm fine with it. I don't like you at all anyway." Sora looked at Riku worriedly as he continued to leave. A sheer drop of tear ran down Roxas' cheek.
Sora chased behind Riku, "Riku!" The silver-haired man turned around with a faint stretch of a sad smile at the corner of his lips. He's a really nice guy, Sora thought; but he didn't say another word, so Riku turned back and resumed his walk.
-- outdoor basketball court --
Riku sprinted around the court, burning all his energy up; strings of memories of him and Roxas reeled like a movie. He continued to run until he ran out of strength, and knelt down in disappointment. The sky cried with him; soaking him.
Sora came by with a red umbrella. "Do you want me cover you with the umbrella?" He asked with uncertainty; not sure if the silver-head would like company, "Or, do you want to stay in the rain for a bit longer? Confusing me about whether it's the rain or tears on your face?"
"…You don't have to tease me."
"Why would I tease someone that I think is charming and awesome?!"
Riku ignored him and stood to leave.
"HEY!! I'm not done talking yet!!" Sora interrupted.
"I don't want to hear anything related to comforting me, pitying me or laughing at me."
"Who said I'm going to comfort, pity or laugh at you?!" Sora disagreed, "I only have one thing to say: Please go out with me."
Riku was shocked, but he didn't move an inch. Sora looked intensely at him; Riku turned around and said, "How can you possibly expect that some rain would wash away the shadow in my heart?" He pointed to his heart, "And how will you be willing to go out with someone that has a shadow in his heart?"
Then what about this? Sora thought as he threw away his umbrella and stepped forward to plant a light kiss at the corner of Riku's pink lips. Riku widened his eyes and froze in his position. Sora then ran away fast with his cheeks flushed; he gradually stopped under an old building, and touched his own lips lightly, smiling sweetly to himself. He screamed in joy for the rest of his journey home.
-- In the streets --
Roxas stood alone at the side of a road, waiting for a bus. A motorcycle came by and stopped in front of him; it was Axel.
"Yesterday night… Thank you." Roxas thanked as he smiled nicely.
"You're welcomed." Axel replied, "Dear brother, please get on."
"…I don't have a helmet…"
Axel chuckled and pointed behind over his shoulder with his thumb. Roxas looked at the direction he was pointing to, and saw Axel's four gang friends Demyx, Xigbar, Leon and Marluxia all next to a SUV. Roxas turned back to talk to Axel but he was already gone; the poor boy was towed away by Xigbar and Marluxia.
"Wait…! Where're we going?!"
"Even you're only 5'3", we can still change you!" Xigbar teased.
----
The gang brought Roxas to their usual spot and made him try different outfits. Except for Demyx, they swung him around and played with his clothes; taught him weird things like sitting manners and coached his walking; just things that are normally prepared for a big occasion. They were using their skills learned in Modern Arts 2 and applied it on the blonde boy as a makeover. Whenever they made him walk out with a new outfit, their gazes stared at the blonde boy and practically drooled. Demyx was the only who sat aside and did nothing.
"Um… Why are you guys changing me into this?" Roxas asked with total confusion.
"To be honest, we haven't played like this for a long time." Xigbar commented, "Ever since Tifa, there weren't a lot of chances for us to apply our creativeness."
"Plus," Leon said, "Now Tifa would only look at her Prince Axel; she just totally ignores us." Demyx sighed and leaped away from the desk he was sitting on; he wanted to get out but saw Axel.
"You're back." He said casually. Axel nodded and saw Roxas past Demyx's shoulder.
"What are you guys doing?"
"We were just playing around just now," Xigbar said to Roxas, "But the real thing gets on now."
Roxas gasped, "What are you gonna do?!" The three men smirked wickedly. Demyx walked to a sofa and took a nicely tailored suit and gestured it to Axel, "Axel, it's yours."
A few minutes later….
"Ladies and Gentlemen, please applause for our spotlights." Xigbar joked and revealed the nicely dressed Axel and Roxas. Tifa was peeking at them with dreadful envy behind.
"Your mom's back." Axel remembered and told Roxas, "Tonight is the first night we have dinner as a family. My dad booked a table in a restaurant boldly." Roxas showed an expression of slight stress.
"We're not just fishing around in Modern Arts 2." Xigbar stated, "Our strength is to package a cheap thing into something refined. So, even though you're only 5'3", we can still save you!" He joked at the blonde's height.
"Cool." Leon remarked.
It doesn't sound funny at all, Roxas thought, pouting to himself, but… these terrifying gangsters actually have their own talents…
"Let's go." Axel said. Roxas nodded. Tifa saw them coming and went away.
-- In the restaurant --
Wakka couldn't keep his eyes off the gorgeous Aerith. Aerith was tidying up her dress as final touches to make herself look nice and proper; then she caught Wakka's gaze and giggled embarrassedly. Wakka couldn't stop smiling. Aerith threw her shoulder shyly at him, "Oh stop looking at me…"
Wakka held up a cup of rice wine, "For your beautiful eyes."
"Oh Wakka…!" Aerith exclaimed quietly, blushing.
Roxas smiled forcefully and nervously. Axel only kept eating.
"For my precious future family," Wakka corrected himself. Aerith smiled and held her own cup of wine to clink it with Wakka's. Axel coughed rudely to interrupt.
"Axel?" Wakka questioned.
"You're not young anymore," Axel commented cruelly, "Stop pretending to be the shy boy."
Wakka buried his face into the table along with an expression of hurt. Roxas gasped nervously, "Uncle's just being romantic…" He grabbed a corner of Axel's sleeve, urging him to be nice. Aerith nodded in agreement, Wakka looked up with hope again, "Yeah, yeah… It's nice to have you, Roxas, you're so kind."
Roxas smiled happily at their reaction, "Here! I wish you both a happy and content life! Cheers!" He held up his glass to them as he grabbed Axel's arm to make him join; Axel ignored him and continued eating.
"Cooperate!" Roxas hissed at Axel quietly.
"So fake." Axel replied.
"Hurry!"
Axel sighed and took his cup of wine, holding it lazily. Roxas exclaimed with joy and the family cheered…
But they didn't know that someone was taking a picture of them…
Just as I expected, Roxas thought, today's atmosphere is seriously freezing to death…
Wakka and Aerith bu sied picking food for each other, then Wakka suddenly asked Axel, "Axel …are you jealous?"
"You wish."
Wakka sighed, "Axel, don't worry; I love you as much as I love Aerie and Roxie!"
Axel stopped eating, and slowly stared up at Wakka.
"Look at your rebellious yet hurt expression," Wakka snuggled, "I feel so touched! Let's cheer again for your eyes!" Only Aerith cheered with him. Axel remained in a dreadful glare at Wakka. Roxas looked at him and shook his arm slightly, signaling him to ease up; Axel turned his gaze on Roxas. Roxas raised his hands and imitated pulling two strings from the corner of his lips, gesturing Axel to smile. Axel still stayed in glaring. Roxas pouted adorably, and moved in closer to Axel's face with both of his index fingers pointing at Axel; he was going to poke the redhead's face and make him smile. But he stopped halfway, realizing that his parents were staring closely at them. He gasped, and grabbed a towel, looking away from the three, his fingers still pointing at Axel, "Um… Uh…. There was wasabi near his lips…"
"Help me wipe it off," Axel said deservedly, "I can't see it myself."
Roxas slowly wiped Axel's corner of his lips.
"You guys' relationship changed to this close already?" Aerith asked with awe, then suddenly gasped happily, "Oh I'm so glad!! You guys are in the emotional age; I thought that our remarriage and the fact that you guys will be brothers were going to bother you two!" Axel was grinning naughtily at Roxas whose hand was trembling with disbelief.Of course it will!! Roxas thought.
"Don't worry, Auntie." Axel said with a pretentious innocent tone, "We will be good together." Aerith nodded happily. Roxas froze; Axel turned back to whisper to him, "Good to the point where it scares you… Right, brother?" Axel was smirking devilishly.
Roxas slowly turned his stare to emerald eyes, what is this dude thinking…? He questioned in his mind, a happy family…? I can't imagine… it'll be us… The blonde pouted away.
-- Computer class --
The teacher dropped down notes and instructions, "Okay, turn on your computers now." Everyone obliged. A website popped up with a big announcement. 'SCHOOL'S SPECIAL!!' Below the title was a picture; it showed Aerith, Wakka, Roxas and Axel holding their wines and cheering. Murmurs filled the room soon. Below the picture was a sentence, 'The Principle is re-marrying, the Charming Prince's new mother and brother! -Tifa Lockhart from Reporter course 1.' Sora stared at the announcement, bewildered; he slowly looked over to the absent-minded Roxas, "...R-Roxas. Look at this…" The blonde slowly looked over, and gasped as he widened his eyes. He jumped up from his seat, "Why is that there?!"
"This is a class! Be quiet!" The teacher yelled but saw the picture, "Isn't this… you?" Roxas looked away in embarrassment.
"How come even your mom's in here?" Sora asked anxiously.
"Your mom looks quite young; she's a good match with the Principle." The teacher complimented.
"Sir…" Roxas whined.
"This must've been taken by a stalker." Olette remarked. Roxas frowned, "Sir, I'm taking this class off. I'll turn in my homework later." And he rushed out of the classroom.
But the website wasn't the only thing with announcements; along the corridors, people were holding fliers and papers and pointed at Roxas as he ran by. Roxas ran and ran until he reaches a door. 'Reporter course 1'.
"I'm looking for Tifa Lockhart from Reporter 1."
The black-haired girl turned around defiantly. Roxas recognized her immediately since she attempted to burn his hair. The rest of the class got out of the classroom knowingly. Tifa crossed her arms, "I'm open to criticisms. Is there something wrong with the announcement?"
"It's our privacy." Roxas argued, "Plus, I don't see a need to publicize that on the e-newsletter, and print all the fliers."
"Well I think there is a big need for that." Tifa strolled next to Roxas, "Don't you dare to assume nobody knows what you're thinking. Listen up; I DO want to create chaos. It would be the best if the whole world knows your relationship with Prince as B-R-O-T-H-E-R-S."
She… She knows that I like Axel…
Tifa chuckled evilly, "I didn't think that you'd become brothers. In that case, you won't be able to do anything…"
"You…! You're just getting personal revenge through the public!"
Tifa nodded; Roxas glared at her angrily. Demyx appeared behind the door unexpectedly, "Tifa, Axel's waiting for you at the school cafeteria."
Tifa leaned close in Roxas' face, "Prince is looking for me, so excuse me, brother."
-- Cafeteria --
"Why did you do this?" Axel asked obviously. Sora and Olette arrived in the cafeteria coincidentally. "That's Tifa." Olette informed, "The one that wrote the announcement in the e-newsletter."
"Why are you asking?" Tifa inquired back.
"So they knew each other…" Olette exclaimed silently.
"I'm asking you, what purpose do you have?" Axel fired back.
"Prince, don't you know that you're really popular?"
"Don't call me Prince!"
"If this is known, then your fans won't go disturbing your brother. Or else, someone might go bother him. Plus you should know that no matter what I do, it's all for your own good."
Axel sighed, "If I don't agree with what you're doing, no matter what you say it's no use." He glared at Tifa, "This incident made me very angry."
"I know that I'm stupid…" Tifa said quietly, "The ways that I use to care for you aren't the ways that you like. But… I definitely can't stop caring for you just because of this!" The atmosphere grew so tense that some thought a fight was to begin. Demyx hurried to Axel and Tifa with a plate of French Fries, "Hey… I saw that the boss wasn't around and I grabbed a super-size French Fries, enjoy." He put a piece into his mouth, "Hey Tifa, let me tell you something, we joined the basketball team recently."
"I know."
"Really…? Then you can go to the gym and see how we kill the other teams!"
"I will, because I've already joined as the basketball team manager." The atmosphere grew tenser, Sora and Olette started worrying.
"Prince, I will take good care of you even in the team." Tifa smiled hopefully. Axel stood up and left without another word.
----
Even though Tifa was really mean, Roxas thought as he strolled along a corridor, but the fact that Axel and I are about to become brothers is true. What should I do? Is it true that I can't tell him I like him even if I do?
He looked out at the gloomy sky; the sky is so gray… Is it going to rain? My mood is gray like the sky too… I want to have a pouring rain in my heart, and wash away all the distraction…