Warnings: I apologize if some of the terms I use are unfamiliar to you; I've moved across the country and I've noticed a lot of differences, so I'm sure they're out there. For instance, carbonated beverages where I'm from are called pop. Where I am now, they're soda. I use the term shopping cart and bag; here, it's a basket and sacks. I'll try to be as ambiguous as I can, but I apologize if you should have a hard time understanding. Also, there's a lot of fucking in this chapter. Not the act, but use of the word. Just so you know. There's fucking, too.

"I might kill him."

Sounding like he was rolling his eyes (he could do that), Axel muttered, "Demyx, you're not gonna kill him and you know it."

"No, I don't know that," Demyx contradicted, adding, "I mean, do you have room in your life for more than one blonde? I don't think I can handle being rejected and replaced, Axel, I might kill him."

"If you kill him, I'll kill Zexion," Axel replied without any conviction. "An eye for an eye."

Now Demyx rolled his eyes and scolded, "These aren't eyes we're talking about-"

"And you wouldn't take out an eye, so what makes you think you'd kill him?"

He was defeated; with a dramatic sigh, Demyx relented, "Fine. I won't kill him. What time?"

"Just come over like you usually do. But don't break in," Axel chuckled.

"Fine."

He clicked his phone shut, let it hit the floor, and rubbed his eyes. It's gonna be a long day.

"Are you home?" He called out, hoping for an answer.

Which came in the form of, "Been here the whole time."

"Can I have a hug?" Demyx stood, walking back towards the bedroom and his lover.

Zexion met him in the hallway, a confused look on his face (or the equivalent, since he didn't know how to look confused). "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," The other replied as he wrapped his arms around him, "Just wanted a hug."

Returning the embrace without a thought, Zexion asked after a moment, "Axel?"

"...Yeah."

Why am I not surprised. "Demyx, what's going on?"

"I... I don't know." Rubbing their heads together, Demyx continued, "I can't figure out why I feel so protective of Axel all the sudden. I want him to be happy, but when he's happy because of Roxas, I get this really bad feeling. I don't want to trust him with Axel. I hate feeling like this."

Zexion took a deep breathing, thinking, I hate you feeling like this, too. He pulled Demyx a little closer, and murmured, "You two have always been there for each other. He's protected you, and you've protected him, and you want to keep protecting him."

"And I can't protect him this time," Demyx sounded almost amused, "And I don't want to admit it. That makes sense."

Carefully, Zexion kissed him, adding, "What he's doing now might be a mistake, but you have to let him make his mistakes. Even if he makes the same ones over and over again."

Demyx sighed, but smiled and returned, "I love you."

"I know." He wanted to say it back, but he wouldn't let himself, and could only say, "I know, Demyx."

The blonde sealed their lips, asking lightly, "Were you on your way out?"

"Yeah, I've got work today," Zexion answered.

"Alright then," Demyx turned him around and shuffled him back towards the room, "Sorry I distracted you."

Unable to stop his relocation, all Zexion could do was chide, "As if I care that you distracted me."

"That's irrelevant."

Axel returned his phone to his back pocket in time to hear Roxas yelling "Your shower's possessed!" from the other end of the apartment.

Dammit. He'd forgotten to address that. With a grin, he called back, "Smack the shower head against the wall a few times!"

Three seconds, two loud THNKs later, "Got it!"

"Alright then!" Axel laughed, rolling his eyes.

Finally, after three days, their things were situated. Roxas was moved in.

And Axel was so ridiculously happy that he'd been accused of being drugged while at work.

Though he often reminded himself to be careful. Roxas was still hesitant as far as their relationship- is it a relationship? Somewhere along the line, hadn't Roxas said something about no relationship, and hadn't Axel agreed without even thinking about it (because he didn't want to think about it). It looked like a relationship, Axel reasoned. They were living together, sleeping together, not to mention... well, sleeping together. Wasn't that a relationship? Was it something he should ask Roxas about? Did he want to ask, on the chance that it wasn't a relationship?

I should call Demyx, Axel found himself thinking before realizing he needed to stand on his own feet now and again. Which meant asking Roxas. "Fuck."

He rubbed the back of his neck apprehensively, trying to figure out when the best time would be. Before you lose your nerve. Which could happen at any moment. Now? When Roxas was in the shower? Not hardly... On the other hand, Roxas in the shower meant he couldn't evade the conversation. He might kill me, though. Was that a risk he was willing to take?

"Yeah?" Roxas called through the door when Axel knocked.

"Can we talk?"

Silence, then almost incredulously Roxas asked, "Now?"

"Um..." Contritely, Axel explained, "Yeah, kinda."

He thought he heard Roxas muttering to himself before answering, "Sure, come in."

Once he'd stepped in and closed the door, Axel realized his nerve was already gone; he also knew it was too late, so he leaned against the sink and took a deep breath.

"What's on your mind?" Roxas asked, turning off the water and reaching out for a towel.

Axel replied, "I'm just trying to figure things out, I guess."

"Like?"

It was simple enough, the train of thought, when he was sitting on his couch; it was still simple, only now it went along the lines of 'fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck FUCK fuck fuck'.

Roxas reached out again for his pants, asking again, "What are you stuck on?"

"Just... What is this, Roxas?" Axel finally offered.

Again Roxas was quiet; the redhead couldn't move, hoping that Roxas wouldn't ignore the question. When the curtain slid open and Roxas stepped out, Axel avoided his eyes.

"What do you mean?" He asked, adding, "Exactly?"

I wish he'd just ignored me, Axel sighed before elaborating, "You've said that you don't want a relationship, and I understand that. But this- feels like a relationship."

More silence; it was driving him insane. He glance towards Roxas, who looked very concentrated, as if trying to figure it out himself.

Then he looked at Axel with an almost sheepish look. "Yeah, I guess it does."

Axel heard the edge in his voice. Not really an edge, but a waiting contradiction, a coming but it isn't.

"Now that you mention it," Roxas reached out, taking hold of Axel's hand and directing him from the bathroom, "It's... kinda intimidating."

Obediently, Axel followed his blonde, sitting when Roxas pushed him toward the bed. Roxas stood over him, pressed his lips together before running a hand through his hair thoughtfully.

"I just need to know," Axel murmured softly after a moment, drawing Roxas's attention.

Roxas spared him what he thought was a sympathetic smile. And briefly, Axel was distracted by a rivulet of water making its way from his temple to his jaw, then carefully along his throat; over the bruise he'd carefully reformed. But Roxas swallowed, nervously, and again he looked to Roxas's eyes.

"No point in denying the obvious, I guess," Roxas decided finally, adding quietly, "Seems like I might've realized that every reason I had against relationships was out the window as soon as I moved in. If I lose you, whether we're in a relationship or not, it's gonna affect us both. If it looks like we're in a relationship, and it sounds like we're in a relationship, that's what it is. Okay?"

Axel just stared at him, trying to remember how to feel about this. Roxas was his- no, I belong to Roxas, he amended. Which had been true for some time, but it was relieving to hear Roxas himself say it. That made everything seem more real; like he was really there, in Axel's room and his home and wasn't going to leave and never come back.

He was startled when Roxas kissed him quickly, before walking back towards the bathroom. "Forgot my shirt."

"...You look fine without it," Axel answered, once he regained his sense.

Roxas rolled his eyes and agreed, "Sure, but that's not the point. Our fridge is empty, or hadn't you noticed?"

"Well, yeah, but-" He stopped with a blunt realization.

Our fridge.

He replayed Roxas's voice over and over again, with such a simple phrase. Our fridge. In our kitchen in our apartment. It gave him the chills.

"You okay?" Came the younger's voice as he approached, almost concerned, but mostly curious.

Nodding slowly, Axel replied, "Yeah, I'm alright... So. Grocery shopping?"

After putting him under scrutiny for a moment, Roxas responded, "Yeah, I'm told you're supposed to eat now and again."

"Right. Let's go."

Twenty minutes later, Axel was prompted to ask, "Rice flour?"

"Yup." Roxas set the bag in the shopping cart, adding, "What about it?"

Scratching the back of his head, Axel replied dubiously, "I dunno. I've never used rice flour."

"How much cooking do you actually do?" Roxas asked as he continued to the spices.

Axel answered, "My food is pretty mundane, I guess. Stuff I grew up with. Meat and potatoes and the like."

"Then you might have some getting used to," Roxas chuckled, turning to give Axel a grin. "When Sora comes home, he always has these crazy recipes, and he can't cook, so I've gotten really good at it."

His grin was infectious, and Axel responded in kind, "I believe it. So where does the rice flour come into play?"

"Pa Jon. It's kinda like pancakes, only with rice flour, veggies, and soy sauce instead of syrup," Roxas explained.

Sounds questionable, Axel thought. And it must have shown on his face, because Roxas rolled his eyes and said, "It's better than it sounds, just trust me on this."

"Fine, I'll trust you," The redhead replied dramatically, draping his arms over the slim shoulders, "But if I die, just know it'll be all your fault."

Roxas chuckled again, rolling his eyes and muttering, "If you die, I'll be sure to bring you back to life so you can tell me all about how I'm to blame. Satisfied?"

"Not hardly," Axel pulled him closer, adding, "How about you're not gonna die or even I've eaten this before, it's safe or something like that?"

Turning in his embrace, Roxas stared up at Axel for a moment before replying, in a very sincere voice, "I've made Pa Jon plenty of times for plenty of people, and no one has died. You'll be fine. I promise."

Which wasn't what Axel expected, to say the least. Suddenly the conversation seemed very serious and equivocal; like they were talking about food and meaning something entirely different. And when he realized that Roxas had promised he'd be fine, had actually promised it, Axel couldn't figure out how he was supposed to be helping Roxas and yet he was the one who kept needing reassurance.

He kissed him; tenderly, lightly; and just didn't care anymore. It didn't matter where they were or who was bothered. It didn't matter what crazy food Roxas wanted him to try. It didn't even matter if something happened to him and he got hurt. He'd be fine. Roxas promised.

"You'll be fine, too," Axel murmured softly, kissing him again, "I promise."

With a quiet sigh, Roxas replied, "You can't-"

"I can. You'll be fine." Finally releasing him, Axel grinned and teased gently, "Just trust me on this."

Roxas watched him, eyebrows low in confusion. Why does he always do that? Take his own words and throw them back in his face. Once he did that, if Roxas tried to say he didn't mean it, everything would seem meaningless and false. Axel said something about spices, and Roxas just shook his head clear and followed.

Pa Jon was better than it sounded. That, Axel had to admit.

The longer the night went, the better everything sounded. Roxas talked about his family as he cooked, and while they ate, Axel talked about his brother's wedding the summer before, and how he was waiting for either a niece or nephew to be born in the next month or so. Roxas hoped Sora never had children, but knew he'd be a great dad. Axel was afraid of babies, because they break easily.

Once they'd eaten, Roxas watched the news; Axel pulled him into his lap and pretended to do likewise. Roxas criticized the doings of this-politician and that-celebrity, and Axel agreed and contributed enough to show he'd paid attention, which satisfied the blonde (more or less). The hours grew long.

Roxas hadn't slept in Axel's bed yet. In fact, he'd yet to sleep in the apartment. It was thrilling to Axel; he held his breath as Roxas stretched out on the couch after the anchorman said his final goodnight.

With a smile, he chided, "I can't be this tired. I'll wake up at four in the morning if I go to bed now."

"You'll wake up at four in the morning anyway." Axel kissed his neck, adding, "You have every time so far."

This, Roxas had to concede to; he quipped, "Two in the morning, then."

"Can't have that, now can we?" Kissing him again, moving closer and closer to Roxas's lips, "I guess I'll have to keep you up a little bit longer."

He felt Roxas's spine shiver, chuckling as he sought his mouth. Walked towards the bedroom, pulling Roxas along with teasing kisses on his cheek, eyelids, anywhere but where he wanted. Loved the warmth and grace in Roxas's kisses when Axel finally let himself be caught, the way his fingers interlaced with the elder's. Carefully, Roxas peeled Axel's shirt from his skin, taking a moment to run his fingertips along the taut muscles of Axel's chest and abdomen. It seemed to Axel that he'd never done so before; he pulled Roxas into his lap, sitting on the edge of the bed and kissing him hotly.

Roxas straddled his hips, hands still roaming. Finding his ribs, his shoulders. Achingly, agonizingly, slowly he would roll his hips forward, dragging soft moans from Axel's mouth. Axel's hands were gripping the mattress, and when he realized this, he entertained the idea of retaliating by flipping them over, pinning Roxas against the bed, and seeing how much he liked it. But Roxas's hands had focused on one spot, just below his navel, and Axel had lost the ability to form coherent thought and he just didn't give a damn anymore.

Slipping one hand into Axel's pants, Roxas grinned as his hips pressed against him, ignoring the fact that he was driving himself insane with this pace. He kept squeezing, twisting, caressing Axel's cock, listening to him groan, feeling him writhe under him. He kissed him again, tasting like sun and strength; which upon reflection was a strange way to taste, but it fit the redhead.

He felt Axel moan Roxas against his lips. For the first time he noticed Axel's hands hadn't moved, and wondered if he was the one paralyzed this time.

"Yes?" He responded tauntingly, hands and lips retreating.

Trembling, Axel just stared at him for the longest time, trying to remember how to breathe and speak. His hands released the mattress, and, eyes asking permission, started to pull Roxas's shirt up and over his head. Roxas let him, kissing him lightly once he was freed. Axel's found his familiar grip on Roxas's hips, trying to figure out where he'd been moments before.

He tried again. "Roxas."

"Axel." Kissing him again, hands on either side of his face.

I love you. He hated that he couldn't tell Roxas, and said it over and over again in his heart, I love you, I love you. I love you.

Roxas slid himself off the bed, pulling at the top of Axel's boxers, showing from the opening of his pants, with a small smirk. "Let's get rid of these."

Not one to object (he couldn't think of anyone that would), Axel instead began to play with the fastening of Roxas's jeans. "You first."

Down they went; Axel stood, and his followed suit. Axel sealed their lips, tongue pressing into Roxas's mouth easily and toying with the other, fighting and dancing. Roxas pulled Axel onto the bed over him, letting him return to a place well known to him. Thoughts raced through his head, mostly along the lines of he's in my bed, finally, he's here. Instinctively he found a bottle of lubricant somewhere on his nightstand and pressed a finger into Roxas with understated practice. Crying out, Roxas arched his back against Axel and again took hold in the red locks.

It didn't take long to prepare the blonde; but they took their time, pushing and pulling and grinding and groaning until Roxas was was all but crying and Axel couldn't see straight. Carefully, he entered the smaller, feeling him clench and sigh and shake. Had it really been almost a moth since they'd been this close? He began to thrust, tenderly, reminding himself to breathe; how did he get to sleep every night without feeling this? Roxas's nails curled into his back, their bodies pressed together.

Roxas calling out his name, Axel, Axel, Axel-! Over and over again. Bringing each other closer and closer to the blissful end they both knew would find them. Tossing names from one mouth to the other and forgetting which belonged to who and not caring. Finally, finally, in a dark crash of lights they collapsed, hearts erratic against one another's, breath labored and wonderful.

I love you. Axel murmured it once more to himself, kissing Roxas again leisurely; melting when he mimicked the gesture, hands returning to their accustomed task, rubbing circles at the base of the redhead's skull. Rolling over to his back, Axel pulled his lover (knowing he could never use the term aloud) against his chest. Threaded their fingers together, pressed his lips again to Roxas's cheek, eyelids, forehead. Anywhere. He needed that contact, needed to know Roxas was still there.

Did Roxas know how desperate he was? He can't not know, Axel reasoned. But by the same token, Roxas would squeeze Axel's hand now and again, kissing him where he could; his chest, shoulder, the soft flesh on the underside of his jaw. Maybe not for the same reasons, but at least, Roxas seemed to understand how good it felt to have these moments.

"Axel." His voice was soft, breathy. The slightest bit hoarse, but not in a way that Axel minded at all.

He kissed him before replying, "Roxas?"

"I might actually sleep through the night," He chuckled lightly, smiling in a way so unlike himself. He took a deep breath, adding, "If I wake up tomorrow at all."

Pillow talk. So domestic and mundane and normal. Axel loved it.

"Oh, sorry," He teased ever so lightly, "I forgot you have to get up in the morning and be on your feet all day doing manual labor."

Roxas chuckled again. "I'll survive. I usually do. We'll call it a warm-up."

I love you. Axel smiled and sealed their lips one last time before murmuring, "You should get to sleep, or you'll fall asleep on the way."

"Mmh." Roxas curled against him, head on his chest, listening to the slow, steady beat of his heart. "Goodnight, Axel."

Axel pressed his lips to the blonde spikes, thinking if Roxas said that every night, he'd only have good nights. "G'night, Rox."

So I realized far too late that I'd missed AkuRoku Day this year, which made me so incredibly angry. Not really angry, I guess, but mad that I'd let myself forget. The Universe made it up to me by giving me a bank card that expires 08/13. I was so excited :D anyway, the end of this chapter was my little apology to the boys, in hopes that they'd forgive me. I'm also trying to see if I can't write something for September 6th, which would be of course Zemyx Day. Hope you enjoyed the update!