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The Running Sky

By Openly Red

Chapter Nine:

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The drive back to Axel's home was silent. The street lights highlighted the redhead's face in flashes as they passed, and his face was giving nothing away; lips set in a firm line, and eyes on the road. Roxas watched him quietly, angling his body so he could see him. He knew Axel could feel his eyes boring holes into his skin, but he didn't care; he was waiting for Axel to crack, to tell him something, anything.

"Why are you staring?" Axel finally asked, his jaw clenched.

"You're going to have to tell me something soon," Roxas said simply. "and I'm just waiting for you to crack."

"What do you think I'm going to tell you?"

"I don't know. But it's something. And you're going to tell me soon," and with that, Roxas turned to look back out the window.

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Cloud

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My sons were born when I was still a child myself. I don't regret it, but I admit it was a mistake. I was 14, stupid, and their mother was the same. We thought nothing would happen, why not give sex a try? Well, something did happen, and four months later we found out there were two of them, and five months after that, I was a father to twin boys who needed me.

The original plan was I would be there for the birth, say my good-byes, and then they would be adopted. But when I went to see them, I fell in love. A complete rush of love. Books talk about how mothers feel a surge of utter love and adoration when they look at their children, but they rarely mention the way that fathers feel- like if you blew at us, we'd topple over; how shocked and awed we are the strength of our love and protectiveness towards them.

I chose their names. Sora, meaning 'sky'. They had the perfect combination between mine and their mothers eyes- a perfect sky blue. Roxas, meaning 'little tiger', but also an anagram of Sora. Or Sora is an anagram of Roxas. Roxas was named because he was a fierce boy. At 4, he was always fighting with Sora and on the ferry over to Destiny Islands, almost pushed his brother overboard, and though I had to calm Sora down, I knew I had chosen the right name for Roxas.

He's always been headstrong.

I'd like to think that's why he ran away.

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They pulled up in front of Axel's house just as the sun was setting behind the Play island. Axel ushered Roxas ahead of him, grabbing the blond's duffel bag from the back of his car and bringing it up the drive to the house. Before Roxas had even knocked, the door was pulled open by Kairi, who peered shyly up at Roxas from beneath her hair. He was surprised to see her, though he didn't know why – she lived here, afterall.

"Hi Roxas," she said quietly. "Come on in," she pulled the door open wider and Roxas slipped in, Axel following shortly after. The redhead put his arm quickly around his little sister and gave her a quick squeeze, but then let her go. From the kitchen, Axel and Kairi's father called for them, and Roxas. Axel motioned the younger two ahead, placing Roxas' bag against the wall, and then heading up the stairs.

Killian sat alone at the breakfast table, reading a paper with his glasses perched precariously on his nose.

"Hello Roxas, how're you?" he asked without even looking up.

"I'm okay, Mr Elliot," Roxas replied politely. "How about you?"

"Fine, fine," Killian replied, obviously once again distracted by his paper. "Kairi, your mother is delayed at the store; she wanted you to start on dinner,"

"...Okay," Kairi murmured, her voice quiet as she looked nervously at Roxas.

"I'll help," Roxas said, turning to look Kairi in the eye. She blinked at him and then smiled faintly, as though relieved, before motioning for him to get the pot from the cupboard. Together, they set to work quietly, measuring out ingredients and adding them together in the pot that was slowly being heated on the stove. When Kairi's mother eventually came into the kitchen, they were nearly done.

"Ik zei 'beginnen' Kairi, niet om het allemaal door jullie zelf!" she said, stroking her daughter's hair gently. "Hello Roxas, good to see you home again," she turned to him, giving him a warm smile, before shooing them away, finishing making dinner herself. "Is Axel around?"

"He came in with these two, but I haven't seen him since," Killian murmured, glancing up from his paper only briefly. Columbine frowned, looking back over her shoulder to her husband. "I'll go check on him," Killian sighed, folding his paper neatly and heading for the back staircase. Roxas frowned, briefly wondering why Killian felt the need to check on his 21-year-old son, but then shrugged it off.

"Sit down please, Roxas. Kairi, can you set the table, please. For five, only." Columbine broke the silence, turning to her daughter.

"Reno not coming?"

"No, he's working tonight." Kairi shrugged, and got the plates out, setting them out neatly on the table. She also set out glasses and cutlery, all while Roxas sat there awkwardly.

"I thought... I thought my Dad wanted me to come for dinner," Roxas asked, his voice small. Columbine paused from stirring the pot, and turned to look at the boy at the table. She sighed and ran her free hand through her short hair, and left the pot bubbling away while she went to sit by Roxas. Kairi finished adjusting the final knife, and then left the room, pulling the door to behind her.

"Roxas, your father thought it'd be better if you saw Sora and Riku when you're ready to," she said soothingly, shifting her chair slightly to face him. "Now, if you want to, Axel can take you over later, but Cloud thought it best if-,"

"No, it's okay, Mrs Elliot," ('Columbine' Axel's mother gently prodded.) "Maybe tomorrow?"

"We'll see, Roxas," Columbine smiled, and went back to the hob. She began dishing up dinner and called for the rest of her family- Kairi reappeared almost instantly, but it took a few minutes until Killian and Axel reappeared, talking beneath their breath. "Axel, why don't you sit in Reno's usual place, Roxas can sit next to you." The skinny redhead nodded, and slumped into the seat next to Roxas, frowning slightly.

"... You okay?" Roxas asked quietly, slightly concerned for his... friend, was it?

"Yeah, I'm fine!" Axel gave him a very fake smile. "Just thinking is all! No worries, Roxie!" Roxas gave a weak smile back and didn't press the matter – Axel seemed a bit... off, but the blond wasn't going to force the issue.

Columbine and Killian passed out the dishes of dinner, and they began to eat quite sedately. The conversation only passed between Columbine and Killian, who were discussing the recent Atlantica election – King Triton had recently hinted that he wanted Sebastian Alimasag to be the next Prime Minister, after Ursula Pugita resigned (or, more likely, was fired). His seven daughters had spent most of their time refusing to comment on the election, and also the suspected engagement of the youngest daughter, Princess Ariel, to Prince Eric of Radiant Garden.

Axel poked at his food with his fork, but only took a few bites. He kept looking over to the door, and to the window, avoiding Roxas' gaze if he could. Kairi ate in silence as well, occasionally adding something to her parents' conversation, but she didn't try to engage Roxas or Axel in a discussion. When they were all finished, Columbine shooed them away, insisting that she would clean up, and would they please, please, not play videogames really loudly 'til 3 in the morning.

As soon as they were out in the foyer, Axel turned to Roxas.

"I should probably head back to my flat. Do you want me to pick anything up from your Dad's for tomorrow?" he asked, his thumb hooked in his jeans pockets, trying to look casual but his tense shoulders betraying him.

"Uhm... No, thanks, Axel." Roxas said, quickly searching for anything he wanted. My brother, maybe? He thought, but it wasn't really up to Axel to bring Sora to him – he had to go to Sora, instead. But, maybe... "Axel... do you think I could come with you?"

"... Huh?" the redhead blinked slowly.

"Stay with you, I mean. I... I only ever stay here with Sora, and I don't know Kairi that well, and I like your parents, but I-,"

"Woah, hold up, Roxie. Let me go ask, okay?" Axel said, heading back for the kitchen. Roxas nodded to no one. He didn't quite know why he had made this spur of the moment decision to ask Axel to stay with him, but he didn't want to be in this big house without Sora. The blond scuffed his shoes against the polished wood of the foyer, waiting for Axel to come back. Soon enough, the redhead appeared, his lips pursed and pulled to the side of his face, as though he was anxious about something. "You can come back to mine, it's alright. And your dad cleared it."

"You spoke to my dad?" Roxas perked up, looking up into Axel's eyes. The green-eyed man wasn't looking at him.

"My mum did. He said it's fine. Come on," the redhead grabbed Roxas' holdall from where it had been pushed against the wall. Roxas followed after him, almost meekly, as Axel put his holdall back in the boot and they climbed in the front. Roxas strapped himself in as Axel did the same, and then watched carefully as Axel turned on the engine, put the car in first gear, raised the clutch and took off the handbrake. The car began moving slowly, and gained speed as they went on the road, and as Axel shifted through the gears.

Roxas stayed quiet, watching as the streetlights flashed by, illuminating Axel's face for a second and then casting it in shadow again. Soon, they were pulling into the small driveway for Axel's apartment building. Though it was only up the road from Roxas', it was slightly more upper class, and newer. Roxas couldn't help but feel a bit jealous about that – his dad worked so hard for very little, and they had been in the same apartment since they had moved to Destiny Islands – how did a 21-year-old and his 24-year-old brother manage to afford such a nice place? But then Roxas realised maybe their parents help a little, whereas Cloud had refused any help from his parents when it had been offered.

He took his holdall off Axel this time, feeling bad for making the redhead carry it all the time. Axel shrugged and buzzed in a code to let them into the apartment building. There was a lift in the foyer, rather than the stairs that Sora and Roxas took to and from their apartment daily. Axel hit the fifth floor button once Roxas was securely in the lift, and when the doors binged open, he led the way out. The hallway was brightly lit and painted a clean cream colour, unlike the slightly more dingy olive green hallways of Roxas' building. Axel took a bunch of keys out of his pocket and unlocked a door labelled '503', letting them both in.

Axel flicked on the main light before turning to lock the door behind them. The light revealed a modern and stylish living room, complete with white leather sofas and a few gaming consoles scattered on the floor, connected to the flat screen TV that rested by the French windows overlooking the sea in the distance. In the corner was a small kitchen, separated from the living room by a breakfast bar. The kitchen was white and pieces of grey marble and very clean looking, with maybe a few unwashed glasses and plates on the draining board by the stainless steel sink.

"My room is this way... Reno'll be back later, probably when you're asleep."

"Oh... alright." Roxas supposed he'd sleep on the couch. He put his bag down and looked at the two sofas – neither looked like he'd be able to sleep on them, but he was a guest and so-,

"What're you doing?" Axel asked, blinking slowly again.

"Oh, uhm... I'm sleeping on the couch, right?"

"... Well, uh, you could do, but, I mean, my bed is big enough for, like, three people, so..."

Sleep? In Axel's bed? Glancing once again at the couch, Roxas gave a mental sigh and picked up his bag again. Axel smiled shyly and pushed a stray lock of hair behind his ear, before leading the way, flicking on lights as he went. One door off to the left of the hallway was shut and another of the right was partially ajar. With a quick glance, Roxas ascertained that the partially ajar door led to the bathroom, so the shut one must be Reno's room. Axel's room was at the end of the hallway, and he led Roxas in without much fuss, though he shut the door behind them, after the light had been turned on.

Axel's room was much like his one at his parents' house – lots of orange and red, with splashes of white and black to even it out. His bed was low to the ground, and pushed against the various walls were a wardrobe, a chest of drawers, a desk (with lots of digital art equipment piled up next to a computer) and a book case that had a wheelie chair pushed against it. It looked lived in, and very much Axel.

"Put your stuff down anywhere. I'm gonna get changed." Axel grabbed some clothes that were draped across the back of the wheelie chair, and left the room, shutting the door behind him. Roxas blinked and put his things next to the desk, unzipping the back and rootling through it for his pyjamas. He found them, and quickly changed into the baggy grey t-shirt and loose boxer shorts. He was fishing out his toothbrush when Axel reappeared, wearing long grey tracksuit trousers, and no top. Roxas felt his face heat up quickly, but darted for the bathroom before Axel could see him. In the hallway he noticed that the majority of the lights had been turned off, except for the one in the bathroom, which illuminated the hallway adequately enough, that he didn't walk into a wall. The blond brushed his teeth and splashed his face with cool water before returning to Axel's room, pushing the door shut behind him.

Axel was reclining in bed, flicking through a tattered book. Roxas, suddenly nervous (for no apparent reason), dropped on the bed and pulled the duvet over his legs.

"What's the book about?"

"It's Dracula. Y'know, the book by Bram Stoker? Zexion recommended it."

"Oh..."

"He's trying to convince anyone who'll listen that 'Twilight isn't Literature', whatever that means. I've never even heard of Twilight." Axel shook his head, sending his red hair all over his face. Roxas thought back to Olette squealing about some guy who apparently sparkled in sunlight. What was his name? Edward? Edmond? Something like that, anyway!

"I think that movie we saw was called 'Twilight'. Y'know 'Skin of a Killer!'? That film," Roxas pointed out, connecting the two things together.

"Oh. That makes sense," Axel frowned for a second and then shook his head. "Anyway, we should probably sleep. We have a lot going on tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" The next day was a Sunday. There was nothing to do tomorrow.

"Yup. Lots of things to do, Roxie." Axel was back to the playful teasing tone he usually spoke in, rather than how he had sounded earlier – like he was closed off. Roxas preferred being teased, to be honest. Axel reached over Roxas to turn off his bedside light, before reaching back to his own. "Lights off Roxie!" and with a click, they were plunged into darkness.

Rustling next to him signalled to Roxas that Axel was getting comfortable, and he might as well do the same. He sighed as he burrowed into the pillow and pulled the duvet up to his neck. He and Sora always slept as bundled up as possible, it made them feel safer. And sleeping in the same room helped with that as well.

Roxas had hated it at his grandparents, spending each night alone without another person's breathing to lull him to sleep. He was used to hearing Sora taking deep and even breaths, which would in turn cause his own breathing to reflect the same pattern, allowing him to drift off seemingly. Beside him, now, Axel shifted again.

"Hope this isn't too awkward, Roxie..." Axel mumbled in the darkness. Roxas rolled onto his side, blinking at the dark shape that was Axel.

"It's fine," he mumbled, thinking that it actually was okay. He and Axel had become sort of friends. They saw each other every day, after all, whether it be driving to school, at registration (where Mr Saix seemed to have a sort of rapport with Axel), or after school. "I... I actually like having someone to sleep with..." Axel snorted. "N-not like that! Just, y'know, someone in the same room, that's all,"

"Well, I'm happy to be the other person in the room, Roxie," Roxas could tell that the redhead was smiling. "Now get some sleep."

"Yes, sir!"

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Author's Note:

Hi everyone! Sorry for the super-long break in writing, I've been making my way through my first year at University! It's been very hectic, but I've loved most of it (some down points, but oh well!) and can't wait 'til September to begin my second year!

I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and please remember to feed the writer reviews on your way out! ~ OR