"Roxas Vaughn DuPont!" His mother screamed, stamping into the living room where he and Zexion were sitting like an angry bull. "Can you explain this to me?"
"Explain what?" He asked, turning around, eyes wide and deceptively innocent. She laughed sarcastically, shaking her head.
"I know you know what I'm talking about, so don't play dumb." The angry Russian words passed through her lips quickly, venom soaking each one. Zexion raised his eyebrows, inclined his head toward Roxas.
"What that…?"
"Yeah, she only speaks Russian when she's really mad." Roxas whispered back. "That, and she probably doesn't want you to know what she's about to say to me."
"Roxas!"
"Yes, Mom." He said, turning back toward her and standing up. He racked his brain for a few moments for the foreign language (that wasn't so foreign) that he had grown up on, smiling. "What is it?"
"Kitchen. Now." She stomped away angrily, and the shorter of the two blondes just sighed and glanced at Zexion, who looked completely dubious.
"What was that all about?" He asked quietly, and Roxas shrugged.
"She wants to see me in the kitchen. So it must be important."
Roxas sighed again and turned to walk into the other room, finding his mother standing there with her arms crossed, tapping her toe. "Mom, is everything okay?" He asked. Obviously, everything wasn't okay, or he wouldn't be in this position, but it wasn't a terrible way to break the ice.
"Do you care to explain to me why on Earth Axel just called and asked me why I was still paying for your therapy?" She asked, lips pressed hard together to form a tight line, angry creases forming along her forehead. "Or care to explain why, upon my confusion, he explained that you haven't showed up in two weeks?"
"…Oh. That. Well, you see--"
"Stop there, Roxas. No excuse that you form could ever possibly be enough to make this go away." She sighed and shook her head, arms falling to her side. "What, do you think we just have unlimited income? Just because we happen to have a relatively significant amount of money?"
"No, Mom, I--"
"Don't interrupt!" She yelled, holding up a hand for him to stop. "Jesus Christ, Roxas. You at least could've told me yourself, instead of me having to hear it from him. What the hell happened?"
"I just…" He stuttered, shaking his head. Miraculously, he couldn't find the words for what he wanted to say in either English nor Russian. "I couldn't be there anymore."
"Why the hell not?" She barked. "What's going on, Roxas? You never talk to me as much as you used to. I know that you probably haven't realized it, but you've just been secluding yourself and secluding yourself…" She sighed and crossed her arms. "Even Zexion's said something to me. And honestly, you might not believe me, but I'm more concerned than angry."
"I heard my name!" Zexion called from the other room, looking into the kitchen through the open doorway. Both Roxas and his mother glanced toward him, but dismissed the comment quickly and continued.
"Mom, I…" He shrugged and shook his head. "I don't know. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. Axel's the kind of guy who'll give you your money back, so…"
"Oh no, no, no, no, no." She said, shaking her head. "I'm not getting my money back, you're just going to have to go to therapy for two more weeks. Since you were almost done…"
She shrugged and sighed. "It's really too bad for you, Roxas. But you're going to have to accept the consequences of your actions. Plus, Zexion wants me to take him to some Lincoln Memorial upstate."
"Oh." Roxas said. "That thing in Ithaca?"
"Yeah, that's the one." She answered. "So, that's about four hours from here, and there's no way I'm going to be able to make that trip in one day. He doesn't want to drive by himself because…well…you know how he is, so you're going to have the house to yourself for two or three days."
"…Wait." Roxas said. "You're leaving today?"
"Yeah. So go get dressed, because you're going to therapy. Axel's there, and he's waiting for you."
--
"Hello?"
"Hey, baby."
"…Demyx, why are you calling me?"
"Isn't it normal for people to call their boyfriends?"
"Demyx, you're not my boyfriend."
"We slept together."
"You're not my boyfriend. Zexion is. Go away."
"I thought Zexion left you. How can you call him your boyfriend if he left you?"
Lexaeus sighed and pulled the phone away from his ear, ignoring Demyx's pointless babble. It had been about a month. A month of not seeing Zexion, not talking to Zexion. A month of regret and depression and regret…
"Lexaeus, are you even listening to me?"
"It's Mr. Gradley, and no, I'm not. Don't call me anymore, Demyx. I have absolutely no interest in you whatsoever."
"Why, Lexy darling--"
"Don't call me that."
"--I'm not going to have to report you to the Board of Education, am I?" Demyx's tone was innocent, and Lexaeus could imagine the smirk that he wore, thinking that he had the teacher trapped.
"Go ahead. See if I care. Its not like my job matters anymore, anyway." He sighed into the phone and leaned against his kitchen counter, which had grown terribly dirty since Zexion had left (Lexaeus felt no inclination to clean with no one to clean for) and pressed his face in the palm of his hand.
"Demyx, I want you to understand something. The only reason I did what I did was because I was angry at Zexion and I wanted to make him jealous. I didn't think that he would actually leave."
"Well, clearly." Demyx answered. "But you have me--"
"You barely ever measure up to Zexion." Lexaeus snapped. "To even compare yourself to him is an insult of his character. Jesus Christ, I don't even know why I'm taking your calls anymore. Let alone why you keep calling me."
"Lexaeus, I won't take this from you! Who do you think you--"
Lexaeus snapped the cell phone shut, closing his eyes and sighing deeply. He could've stood there for hours, he could've stood there for minutes. It didn't matter. Slowly, he looked back up, looking at all of the clutter that had accumulated in the room.
"I'm so sorry…" He whispered to the empty space, walking around, praying for Zexion to walk through the door. Of course, the door remained closed, as it had for weeks. "Why can't I say that to your face?"
--
"Give me your keys and your cell phone." Roxas's mother said before he walked into the building, fully clad in his dancing outfit, hand outstretched.
"What? Why? How will I get home?"
"Well, your keys so you can't drive home as soon as I pull out of the parking lot, and your cell phone so that you can't call anyone to come pick you up as soon as I pull out of the parking lot. Axel will drive you home at seven."
"What? Mom, that's mean!"
"You're fine." She frowned at her son, and Roxas slowly dropped his keys and cell phone into her hand. She shoved them in her pocket, sighing, shaking her head. "I love you, Roxas. This is for your own good."
"Yeah okay. Whatever. See you…Monday?"
"Oh yeah. Today's Friday, isn't it?"
"Don't act like you forgot." He answered, walking away and up the stairs to the double glass doors. The last things on Earth that he wanted to see at that given moment.
"I love you, Roxas!" She called in Russian, smiling. "And so does--"
"Don't even finish that sentence!" He called back, glaring at her from over his shoulder and slipping inside the building. He walked slowly down the dark hallway (it was starting to get darker later, and the only light that was on in the building was in the actual dance studio) and into the room, a nervous knot twisting in his stomach.
"Ah, Roxas." Those were the first words he heard as he walked into the room, the familiar voice friendly. When he glanced up, the familiar face was wearing a soft expression. "I'm glad you made it. I think we're just going to do some warm-ups and stretching today considering it's been a while since you were last here, and you're probably a little stiff."
Roxas was speechless as he dropped his bag and watched Axel move into the center of the room, full of ease and, (shoot me now) grace, tight dance clothes clinging to his body. "Your mom told me that you've been sticking to your diet though, which is really good, so that should make it a little easier for you to--"
"That's it?" He couldn't believe the words had actually passed his mouth until Axel spun around with his eyebrows raised.
"I'm sorry?"
"That's all?" Roxas said, his voice still barley above a whisper. Axel's smile faded, and it gave Roxas a morbid kind of satisfaction. "You're just going to go on acting normal, despite what happened between us?"
"Roxas--"
"Did it really mean that little to you?" Roxas's vision was going blurry, and he thought he was just angry…that is, until he felt the tears streaming down his cheeks and he realized how hurt he was. That didn't make any sense, though. He wasn't hurt, he was angry. No, he didn't feel anything. He was indifferent. He was like Zexion. But…where did this hole in his heart come from?
"Mean that little to me?" Axel asked, incredulous. "Roxas, you're the one who didn't show up for two weeks--"
"Why the hell did you think I was skipping out?" Roxas retorted. "Did you think I stopped coming here because I hated you? Or maybe because I had finally gotten a taste of what I wanted, and that satisfied me enough so I left? Tell me, Axel. Because quite honestly, I'm curious to know what you think."
"…It's the age difference, right?" Axel asked, his eyebrows raised. He had the look on his face that told Roxas that this was the answer the redhead had accepted; that this had been the only way he could explain what happened. "You got freaked out and bailed? You've said it yourself; I'm eighteen years older than you. Hell, I'm old enough to be your father."
Roxas shook his head and saw his tears fall on the floor, small, reflecting orbs of water. "You're so stupid." He whispered. "So, so, stupid…"
"Well excuse me, Roxas, for my idiocy." Axel hissed. "Please, would you care to enlighten me? Would you be kind enough to share your "higher understanding" of the situation with me? Please, Roxas? Please?"
It was painful for Roxas to choke down the sob that tried to tear from his throat, but he somehow managed it. As a result, the first time he tried to talk, all that came out was a dry, whimpering sound. He had to clear his throat, which just about killed him. Procrastinating, right?
"You have no idea how hard it was for me to walk away from you." He whispered. "But I didn't come back because…because I knew that if I saw you, I wouldn't be able to say no, but I…didn't want to say yes, either."
He dared glance up at Axel, who's expression had morphed from one of raw anger to pure shock, arms hanging limply at his sides, brows knitted together in confusion.
"I want you, don't get me wrong." Roxas whispered, shaking his head. "I want you…more than I've ever wanted anyone ever. But I'm not…" He paused and took a deep, shuddering breath. "I wasn't ready to actually fulfill that want."
There was a long, drawn out pause between them before Axel finally sighed and pressed is face in the palm of his hand, chuckling sadly. "I took it too fast."
"You took it too fast." Roxas whispered in agreement. "It was like it was all lust and zero romance."
"Roxas, I think you're just looking for a father figure in me--"
"So what if I am?" Roxas barked suddenly, anger and sadness mixing together to make a whole lot of hurt. "I never had a father and for the love of God, my mother tries so hard…but do you have any idea what it's like to have a parent who's so close in age to you? She's learning as I'm learning! And it's not the a-age…" His voice broke for the first time, and he stopped talking, trying desperately to collect himself. "Half of my attraction to you is the age difference, Axel. I mean, you're older and you've had all of these life experiences and you know so much…"
"Oh my God, Roxas…" Axel took a step forward, but as soon as he did Roxas took a step back.
"Don't." He whispered.
There was another pause, and Axel sighed. "Roxas, I'm confused. First you call me out for not doing anything about what happened, and now you're telling me that you don't want me to do anything. Which is it?"
"I just wanted you to acknowledge that it was more than just lust for you." Roxas said softly. "So?"
"Was it just lust for you?" Axel asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course not!" Roxas hissed, narrowing his eyes. "How could you even--"
"Then it wasn't just lust for me." The redhead answered. "And, assuming you aren't so mad at me you won't give me a second chance, it will continue to not be just lust for me."
With that Axel moved forward, and Roxas made to attempt to avoid him. He just shook his head slowly, tears streaming down his cheeks, and only did they stop when he was folded into Axel's arms, face pressed against his chest, arms wrapped around his waist.
"Roxas, Roxas, Roxas…" He whispered, burying his face in the blonde hair and hugging him tighter. "I am so sorry. I had no right to be angry with you. I just…" He sighed and chuckled sadly, shrugging as best he could. "I wanted so badly to know what I did wrong."
"You didn't…" Roxas whispered, losing himself in Axel's warmth. "You didn't do anything wrong."
--
"So this is what your house looks like?"
"Shut up." Roxas took Axel's hand and led him past the living room and up their spiral staircase, past the second floor, onto the third floor. Take a left. Last room on the right.
"Now, Roxas, is that any way to treat your elders?"
"Shut up."
Axel blinked and chuckled softly, letting himself be led by Roxas. They walked quickly into his room, the blonde opening the door and then slamming it behind the two of them. It was completely dark in his room except for the light that was seeping in through the window, and he made no move to turn on the overhead light.
"So this is your room?"
"Yes."
"It's nice."
Without responding, Roxas grabbed Axel's hand and led him over to the bed, sitting down, arms immediately sliding around the redhead's waist.
"Man, you really don't mess around, do you, Roxas?" Axel chuckled and lifted his shirt up and over his head, kneeling down so that he could remove Roxas's.
"I've never been topped before, so excuse me for being a little apprehensive." Roxas replied, lifting up his arms and letting his shirt be discarded quickly followed by Axel's pants.
"I find that hard to believe." Axel said, grinning.
"What, that I've never been topped? Why is that hard to believe?"
"Because you're so small and have such a submissive personality. The people you topped must've been incredibly passive, submissive, whatever. Sorry that's not going to fly with me." He pushed Roxas down on the bed and climbed on top of him, discarding his pants.
"You're mean."
"You know you love me."
Roxas sighed and scooted up so that his head was resting on the pillows, and Axel quickly followed, seated atop Roxas's hips. "I'll level with you on that one."
Axel smirked and, without warning, started grinding hard against Roxas. It was unexpected for the blonde, yes, but it was also…surprisingly pleasurable. Immediately his body grew warm, and Roxas let soft whimpers escape from his throat, fisting the sheets lightly beneath him.
"God, you're so sensitive." Axel said, smiling. "I wonder…"
He ripped off Roxas's boxers, no wasting any time, and held two fingers up to the blonde's mouth. "Suck on them." He said, answering Roxas's unspoken question.
The teen did as he was ordered, taking the fingers into his mouth and sucking on them nice and hard. Axel groaned softly, only beginning to imagine what that would feel like on other parts of his body, grinding harder against the blonde.
It took a few moments, but once he was satisfied, he pulled the saliva-coated digits from his soon-to-be-lover's mouth and trailed them down his spine, one finger gently prodding at his entrance.
"May I?" He asked politely, and Roxas snorted.
"Do them both at once." He said. "I dare you."
Axel paused and shrugged, holding both fingers against the tight hole, and shoving them in without warning. Roxas gasped at the pain that he felt almost immediately, then moaned from the pleasure of Axel's fingers inside of him.
"Ah…you like that." Axel said, grinning. "You like that a lot."
He bent his head forward and placed his lips on one of the boy's perfectly pert nipples, suckling gently, thrusting his fingers in and out of the tight space. Roxas's moans filled the room, and it was terribly hot.
"Hah…ah…Axel…" He moaned, pressing his hips down on the fingers. "More…"
"Do you have anything in here for--"
"Just do it dry." Roxas gasped. "I'm quite sure that I'm wet enough to make for up it already." He giggled and an embarrassed blush heated his entire body. Quickly, Axel withdrew the fingers and spread Roxas's legs far apart, moving into position.
Slowly, overly gently, he pressed the tip of his cock into Roxas, which was met with a sharp gasp, quickly followed by the rest of his length. Roxas's toes curled, and he shut his eyes tightly, breathing as deeply as he could.
"Does it hurt that badly?" Axel whispered, not wanting to make the kid's first experience on the receiving end anything but amazing.
Roxas shook his head, sucking in a deep breath. "It's fine. Keep going."
Axel hesitated for a moment before pulling out and pushing back in, working to keep a steady rhythm. Soon enough, Roxas was able to forget about the pain of the initial penetration and just enjoy what Axel was giving to him now. Really, really enjoy it.
"You're…so…big." He panted, nearly cut off when he moaned loudly, Axel thrusting into him especially hard. In response, he merely chuckled breathily and nodded.
"Ah…Axel…harder." Roxas moaned, sliding his hips down as Axel's hips came up, pushing the redhead deeper inside of him. Seriously, if this was what it felt like, the blonde figured that he could probably sacrifice his position on top to Axel.
Axel, who obediently obeyed his every command. At least, while they were in bed together. By the time Roxas was done with him, he was thrusting so hard and so fast into the boy that Roxas couldn't even form a coherent thought. He couldn't believe the sounds that passed from his lips, nor could he believe the way his new (and improved!) dancer's body contorted impossibly.
Suddenly, without warning and without breaking pace, Axel cupped Roxas's cheek and pressed a hard, openmouthed kiss to Roxas's lips, humming softly. Roxas moaned against the other's mouth, wrapping his arms around Axel's neck and pulling their two bodies close together.
"I love you." Roxas panted as soon as they parted, face flushed, body coated with a thin layer of sweat.
"I love you, too."
--
"Roxas, we're home!" Zexion called, wearing an 'I love New York but I hate the city' shirt, carrying more than one souvenir from the several places that he and Roxas's mother had visited. "You weren't lonely, were you?"
"God no." Roxas answered, poking his head out from the living room, crunching on a stalk of celery. "I had Maury. How can you be lonely with Maury?"
"Mm, good point." Zexion answered sarcastically, rolling his eyes. He walked in and sat down on the couch, grabbing a stalk of celery from the bunch that Roxas brought in and crossing his legs.
"Yeah, I know. I'm amazing and you're jealous." They both chuckled, and Zexion leaned to the side, resting his head on Roxas's shoulder. The blonde stiffened imperceptibly, crunching away.
"Hey," Zexion muttered, wrinkling his nose. "You smell funny."
"Gee, thanks." Roxas said, rolling his eyes. The bluenette pulled away and frowned at Roxas, eyes quickly growing wide, expression half accusing and half amused.
"Is that a hickey?" He exclaimed, grinning. "Oh my God Roxas, what did you do while we were gone?"
"It is not!" Roxas barked defensively. "I don't know what you're talking about. Go away. I hate you."
"Oh, Roxy's been a bad, bad boy." Zexion said, grinning. "You're so dirty."
"You're one to talk."
"Will you at least tell me if it was good or not?"
"ZEXION!"
"God. Fine. Be that way."
A/N: Bahhh I finally got this chapter up. It felt like it took forever. Which, thank-you very much, I hate.
So! Finally! See, I was going to have this chapter full of angst and have Roxas be all like, 'Oh my God, what should I do???' but I decided that that would be stupid so I didn't and cut straight to the lemon/fluff. xP Which I hope you guys appreciate. So...yeah. Oh, by the way. I had to finish this chapter at school, right? *goes to a Catholic school, btw* I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE. With teachers going this way and that, I was just like... :o imma die
Well, obviously, I didn't. Which is good. I hope you guys would miss me if I died, dangit! D
And, just so you all know, this is the official last chapter of Checked, a Kingdom Hearts fanfic. No worries, there will be an epiclogue. This was indeed a relatively short fic, but it's taken time and it was just its time to end. YOU ALL HAVE TO READ THE EPICLOGUE BECAUSE I WILL PUT UP A VOTE FOR THE NEXT FIC I WILL WRITE!
If you're reading the reviews for the epiclogue and saw that someone didn't vote, dangit send them a PM and get all like, 'Go vote, dangit! D' 'cuz voting is very important. Especially when my precious time hangs in the balance! (No, just kidding. xP But still. Vote.)
~Sara